Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Calm In Valley Center: 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday evening here in Valley Center came on with a welcome calm, as the winds that were causing so much trouble for firefighters were steadily reduced to nothing. Around 4 p.m., there was something of a light breeze, and by 5 p.m., there was a dead calm for nearly two hours. Other than the smoke to the north, it looked like a regular autumn day here in Southern California.
Since then, the only reports we've heard have been good; the flames that had been advancing towards North Lake Wohlford Road were reportedly held up by the firefighters. As darkness fell, a glance in the direction of the middle school showed no signs of that ominous orange glow we saw last night and this morning, although it's still hard to tell what exactly is happening over those hills.
It also seems like a lot of people stayed put, despite the mandatory evacuations, as one by one house lights on the surrounding hills blinked on. Every few minutes, a car could be heard nearby on Vesper, or more distantly on Valley Center Road, heading east in both cases. There was a helicopter over to the southeast at one point, and some sirens heading away from the North Lake Wohlford area back towards Cole Grade, but the overall feeling is one of calm.
To be on the safe side, I will be heading to Escondido for the night, as will my neighbors. We all feel quite confident that the danger is minimal to none, but at this point, there's no need to take any chances.
We've heard that the evacuation orders won't be lifted until sometime Wednesday afternoon, but there hasn't been any official word at this point, so the best thing to do is keep checking in with local news broadcasts.
Of course, anything can happen at this point, but given what we expected and what we've actually seen here over the course of the last two days, Valley Center has been extremely fortunate to have escaped with very little damage. The evacuations were quick and effective, and even though information has been scarce and sometimes unclear, it looks as though things here are much better than what people have heard in other areas.
So now we wait to hear more good news, and we think of our surrounding communities and the ongoing battles there. Count your blessings, Valley Center, and let's do what we can to help others around us as we try to get through this as best we can.
Dan Kidder
Sports/Valley Life Editor
Valley Roadrunner
Since then, the only reports we've heard have been good; the flames that had been advancing towards North Lake Wohlford Road were reportedly held up by the firefighters. As darkness fell, a glance in the direction of the middle school showed no signs of that ominous orange glow we saw last night and this morning, although it's still hard to tell what exactly is happening over those hills.
It also seems like a lot of people stayed put, despite the mandatory evacuations, as one by one house lights on the surrounding hills blinked on. Every few minutes, a car could be heard nearby on Vesper, or more distantly on Valley Center Road, heading east in both cases. There was a helicopter over to the southeast at one point, and some sirens heading away from the North Lake Wohlford area back towards Cole Grade, but the overall feeling is one of calm.
To be on the safe side, I will be heading to Escondido for the night, as will my neighbors. We all feel quite confident that the danger is minimal to none, but at this point, there's no need to take any chances.
We've heard that the evacuation orders won't be lifted until sometime Wednesday afternoon, but there hasn't been any official word at this point, so the best thing to do is keep checking in with local news broadcasts.
Of course, anything can happen at this point, but given what we expected and what we've actually seen here over the course of the last two days, Valley Center has been extremely fortunate to have escaped with very little damage. The evacuations were quick and effective, and even though information has been scarce and sometimes unclear, it looks as though things here are much better than what people have heard in other areas.
So now we wait to hear more good news, and we think of our surrounding communities and the ongoing battles there. Count your blessings, Valley Center, and let's do what we can to help others around us as we try to get through this as best we can.
Dan Kidder
Sports/Valley Life Editor
Valley Roadrunner
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