Apocalypse San Diego’

Daylight savings time will be forever etched in my mind after the catastrophic events that took place in Southern California last weekend unfolded. When I woke up Sunday morning, I looked out the window, saw an eerie orange glow filtering through my window, and presumably decided it must be, oh let’s just say, way too early for me to wake up.

So I hit my internal snooze button and started to doze off again, when an indescribable feeling crept up through my body. Something just didn’t feel right. Today was the day I earned my coveted extra hour of sleep, so why wasn’t I still tired? A quick check of the clock revealed it was 9:30 a.m., a time of the morning when the sun’s rays are usually at it’s clearest and brightest.

I sat up immediately when I realized what was going on, remembering the burning stench from the night before. I was aware of several brush fires plaguing the region, but wasn’t concerned the night before. This morning, the air was significantly different.
I was blasted with a pungent, acrid odor when I opened the front door to confirm my worst thoughts—something was definitely not right in sunny San Diego. Perhaps most disturbing, the sun glowed a translucent pale red as gray specks fell from the sky in a slow fashion, creating layer upon layer of ash upon cars, trees, and the streets.

The neighborhood began to stir and the phone started to ring. News of the fires quickly became the talk of the town as neighbors questioned the safety of friends and relatives. The television broadcasted continuous updates on the fires and evacuations.

As the day wore on, San Diego became a ghost town. Malls and restaurants shut their doors; city buses cut their service. The streets began to resemble a city stricken by a SARS outbreak, as pedestrians rushing for shelter donned face masks and goggles, and some carried umbrellas to deter the falling ash. SUV’s filled to the brim sped through the streets as evacuees headed for a safe haven.

The disaster came full circle as Governor Gray Davis declared an official state of emergency, and President George Bush followed shortly after, pronouncing the southern California region a disaster area, paving the way for federal aid. Even Commissioner John Garamendi visited the remains of several homes in San Diego County.
At press time, several new evacuations have been announced, and many of the fires continue to rage, with little or no containment. Emergency personnel are unremittingly stretched to the limit, despite additional firefighting assistance from neighboring Nevada and Arizona.

I spent that Sunday helping a friend’s mom evacuate her house. We packed box after box of photos and personal mementos—items no insurance policy could ever replace. Ironically, my friend’s mother had neglected to pay her homeowners’ policy for a couple of months, and after 26 years with the same company, she dug through her mail only to find a notice saying her policy had been cancelled effective a few days prior. Luckily, her house was spared, but not without a good lesson learned about the importance of insurance.

But above all, the fires are an unfortunate reminder to cherish the things that matter most – family, friends, loved ones. Because all too often when disaster strikes, the consequences are quick and unpredictable.

Our hearts and prayers go out to those who have lost in this tragedy.