Fire update

Welcome to paradise.

I can’t think of anywhere you can live where you’re not in danger of something -- brush fires, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, avalanches, tornadoes, ice storms, monsoons, arctic blasts, terrorist attacks, volcanoes, you name it.

Currently we in Southern California are weathering brush fires. We’ve had very little rain and very low humidity brought about by fierce Santa Ana winds. It’s turned many areas into a tinderbox.

Yesterday morning, 10,000 homes were evacuated on the Westside. I was fortunate (as of this posting). The blaze was on the west side of the 405 Freeway and I’m about three miles east. That said, we were awoken early Monday morning with a warning alert, basically saying have a “Go bag” with essentials ready should we need to go. We got the same warning a couple of years ago when there was the Bel Air fire, although that was much closer to us. I’m ready with the essentials – key documents, laptops, and my Emmy.

And that reminds me of idiot Dodger outfielder, Pedro Guerrero, who had to evacuate during the Whittier earthquake. He hurt his back hauling out his big screen TV. What a buffoon.

I will say that at times like this Los Angeles really springs into action. Shelters were set up for people and pets, even horses. First respondents were vigilant and unwavering. LA County has an arrangement with other Southern California counties for shared services so fire units and helicopters arrived from places like Bakersfield. Thank you, guys.  If you ever need our Lifeguards...

Come daybreak, firefighters were able to employ super scooper airplanes (12,000 gallon water drops) and planes dusting with retardant. That and the winds dying down helped contain the blaze – for now.

But more heavy winds are expected tonight into tomorrow so we’re hardly out of the woods. As a precaution, lots of people in potential fire areas might have their power turned off.

Evacuees filled hotels, shelters, workplace offices, and stayed with friends and family members. We put out an invitation to a number of our friends.

Other residual effects: Schools were out so working parents had to suddenly contend with that.

The south lanes of the 405 Freeway were closed in the area, which caused traffic nightmares like you can not believe. Canyon roads like Beverly Glen and Coldwater were the only through arteries and not only did that snarl them, but the residential surface streets leading to them were gridlocked. One friend said it took a half hour to pass three houses. Another had to park three blocks away from his house.

Such is life in emergency times. For those of us lucky to still have power, we had the TV on all day. Most Angelinos watch KTLA, Channel 5 during these times. Most stations were on it, but  KTLA, Channel 5 has been a local station that has led with news coverage since they went on the air. KTLA had the first helicopters. KTLA was the first station on the scene with wall-to-wall coverage of local stories like when a little girl fell down a well in 1949. KTLA was on the air live during rescue attempts with local icon Stan Chambers reporting, hour after hour. That story unfortunately, did not have a happy ending. (Billy Wilder would take that story idea and turn it into a riveting movie, ACE IN THE HOLE, also called THE BIG CARNIVAL,  a few years later starring Kirk Douglas.)

For radio there’s only one real news station left, KNX. When I was hosting Dodger Talk on KABC I was also the fire coverage anchor. My main objective was to relay information accurately and provide a calming presence. I’ll be honest, I took my cue from KFWB reporter, Jack Popejoy. Sadly, he’s no longer with us, but he was the best disaster anchor of all-time. He was also a friend and I miss him to this day.

Meanwhile, on entertainment sites the big headline is that LeBron James and Kurt Sutter had to evacuate.  

Now in 2019 we get alerts on our phone. There are websites with up-to-the-minute information, and apps so you can monitor air quality, traffic conditions, evacuation zones, etc. I think back to when I was a kid and there was a devastating fire that destroyed much of Bel Air. Back then there was no communication between fire units, confusion reigned, and many more homes were lost as a result. Again, today’s technology and improved aircraft are saving thousands of populated acres.

So that’s the latest. God bless our fire fighters, police force, and other emergency personnel (on TV newscasts they’re being referred to as “heroes”) and for everyone in harms way, stay safe.