And Still I Persist is back on line after a 10+ hour server outage. Bruce Henderson posts some really good news: the wind has nearly stopped, giving the heroic fire crews a chance to contain them.
As mentioned earlier the winds have calmed significantly and in some cases we are reading zero on the wind gauges for many cities that have been under threat of burn, or under the smoke plumes. I cannot stress enough how this fundamentally changes the fight against these fires, as it allows full deployment of air drops and enables the fire crews to work much closer to the head of the blaze to set backfires and create fire breaks.
Bruce has nothing but praise for the fire crews and their efforts. He thinks they deserve a parade when this is all over. I think that sounds like a plan. There is a lot more coverage on the main page, with lots of maps and photographs.
Meanwhile, Lex is also reporting the dead calm conditions and that his house is apparently safe at this point. But he also is thinking about those less fortunate:
A thousand people have lost their homes, and of the 500,000 who were evacuated most remain displaced. I’ve lived here now for a bit over 6 years but – having seen San Diegans facing adversity – can say that I see them now in a new light. Qualcomm Stadium was one of our principal evacuation centers and had to actually turn away donations of bedding and supplies. I’m proud of this city in a way I wasn’t before.
Still, people will need help and if anyone is interested in making a cash donation, the local branch of the American Red Cross will gratefully put your generosity to work.
That also sounds like a plan.
