A Strong San Diego Recovers From Wildfires

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"It's a miracle our house is still standing," remarked Robert Myers of Poway. His childhood home, which his parents built and have lived in since 1983, narrowly escaped the sweeping flames which left blackened battle scars across their front and back yards.

Bob and Kathy Myers weren't one hundred percent certain as to their home's survival until they pulled into their driveway off Old Ranch Road Wednesday morning. They made their way past a row of run down vehicles melted into the ground and fallen tree branches that blocked access to their completely unscathed front door.

The Myers didn't wait for the reverse 911 call, which rang just minutes after they evacuated. They relied on instincts built up from years of near evacuation fire scares to tell them that this time the growing orange glow coming up over the mountain was headed straight for them. "We thought we had a 50/50 chance after clearing the brush away in its path," Kathy explained while pointing out how close the flames came up to the house.

Like so many other avid viewers who watched news broadcasts of firefighters warding off persistent flames from engulfing homes, Bob Myers feels there was no such defense effort made to save their home. Charred dirt surrounds the propane tank in their front yard, which miraculously never exploded; contrary to the beliefs and efforts of numerous firefighters who rigorously fought to keep the heat at bay from propane tanks in other neighborhoods.

Regrettably, not many San Diegans were as lucky as the Myers this past week. As of Wednesday, October 31, 2007 all fires in San Diego County had reached 100% containment, including the Harris fire, with the Witch fire at 99% and the Poomacha fire at 70% containment. There were a total of eight wildfires in San Diego that affected roughly 369,146 acres combined. 1,682 homes and 878 buildings were destroyed with an additional 360 homes and other buildings damaged. There were 95 firefighters and 21 civilians injured, and the death count has painfully climbed to 14 people.

With all eyes on San Diego, praising our strong sense of community, the City Council decided Tuesday to give fire victims a much needed break. "We think this is critical to the rebuilding efforts," announced Mayor Jerry Sanders at a press conference before the council meeting, where it was decided that building and demolition fees would be graciously waived for those who lost their homes and other property. These early Christmas gifts will greatly aid in the rebuilding process seeing as initial estimated losses of those insured in San Diego County reach a staggering one to two billion.

Up the street on Lomas Serenas in Escondido, several homes lie in ruins with nothing but brick chimneys and spider-like water pipes sticking out of the rubble. Next door sits a home, sound as the day before the fires raged through San Diego.

Further into the neighborhood, on Avenida Amorosa, Phil Morgan, a retired WWII Air Force veteran, lives with his wife Anita, who lost only foliage to the fires. They could see the flames coming west through the valley and watched it skate across Lake Hodges from tree to tree. The fire jumped the 15 freeway and climbed the hill up into the Lomas Serenas homes, burning their citrus groves in its path. "I think what saved our house is, about 3:30 in the morning, my wife said to turn on the sprinklers and soak everything."

"It's positively scary," remarks John Gamache with a sigh of relief, who lives just across the street from the Morgans. His house was spared, save for a couple strange embers that managed to singe the edges of his daily newspaper in his driveway, burned one palm tree in his front yard, and disintegrated two hanging plants in his backyard. "I don't particularly care to watch the news because it's always publicizing whatever negativity is going on in the world, but we've just been literally glued to the TV, trying to find out what's going on in our home."

Just months before firestorms struck San Diego for the second time in 4 years, John Gamache had re-roofed his home with bird stock to keep birds and rats from nesting underneath the Spanish tiling. "It's also highly recommended by the Fire Department to keep embers from flying underneath and catching on the tar paper," John credits. He feels indebted to this smart decision, as well as to the firefighters who helped save his home before the embers spread.

For those who lost pieces of their lives, the road ahead is daunting. With the holidays fast approaching, San Diego is doing its best to not only rebuild structures, but put homes back together. San Diego has stood this past week as a shining example of a tight-knit community, not commonly seen in many other expansive counties.

$1.2 million dollars have already been raised for the American Red Cross through the 2007 Wildfire Relief Phone Bank. They continue to provide services at remaining shelters.

Many residents have already started making plans to rebuild, speaking with contractors, and consulting FEMA for advice. More importantly than any lost possession, people are glad to have made it out alive. "We've got a lot of damage and we're going to live with it, but at least we have our health," Phil Morgan concurs.

It's only after you've lost everything, that you are truly free to live.