The SoCal Firestorm

Woah. As of the moment I write this, CNN is reporting that over half a million people have been evacuated from their homes because of the fires burning pretty much out of control across Southern California. Over a thousand homes destroyed and over a hundred other structures. Two dead, unknown numbers injured from flame or more likely, smoke.

It's a tragedy on a scale we haven't had in SoCal probably since the Northridge quake, and that was over a decade ago. I fell terrible for these people that have lost their homes, perhaps their jobs, perhaps everything but the clothes on their backs.

I'm pretty sure where I live is pretty safe for now. And really, given 30 minutes, I could get my computer, our important papers, our significant valuables, enough clothes to last us a while and our cats packed up and we could be gone. We'd lose a lot. Of course. But we'd have what is important. Maybe we need to get some kind of lock box to just store our important papers and other items. Don't know.

I'm going to have to see if there is something we can't do here at school, mobilize the community in some way.