Restrictions Lifted?

Rusty Beatty emailed me a few minutes ago, saying that the word was out at Steele Canyon that all restrictions were lifted and everybody could go home. I didn't want to publish that without corroboration, but I just found it on SignonSanDiego's wildfire blog:

As of 3 p.m., all evacuation orders in the Harris fire area have been lifted for the following communities/areas:

Carveacre
Lawson Valley
Jamul
Potrero
Tecate
Dulzura
Barrett Junction
Engineer Springs
Deerhorn Valley
Indian Springs

There areas are open to RESIDENTS ONLY.

The following road closures REMAIN IN EFFECT due to road work:
State Route 94 at Barrett Smith East
State Route 188 and SR-94

Woo hoo! I think it's time to go home!

Harris Fire Update...

I captured this photo off the east-looking Lyons Peak camera about 45 minutes ago, but I had trouble posting it – Google appears to be having some kind of difficulty. If you expand this photo and look closely, toward the right side of the base of the dark gray smoke, you can see flames. They're the first I've seen all day. Hopefully this is still part of the backfiring operation we heard about earlier, and not something to be worried about. It appears to be very close to where Barber Mountain road comes around the north side of Elena Mountain.

And we finally got another MODIS satellite thermal imagery pass. This time the only hotspot on the Harris Fire is the one pictured above. Three miles southeast of my house – it figures. For this shot, I cleared everything except the last 24 hours of MODIS data, so that (if you blow it up) you can see exactly where the hotspot is.

News and reports from readers have slowed way down – which means that most of the folks that have been helping make this blog a great source of information for the Jamulian community are now themselves busied with things far more important that this silly blog: they're getting back home. It feels very nice – and normal – to know this is happening. With any luck at all, we'll soon be joining them. It's not looking too good for tonight (for us to return home, I mean), but perhaps tomorrow morning.

I've been thinking a lot today of all the people who have lost their home. I sure hope the rebuilding process is easier for them than it was for the people who lost their homes in the Cedar Fire – some of whom, we've read, are still trying to get their building permits…

Reader Report...

Rusty Beatty passes this along:

Here is a great link. I watched the road closure starting on Sunday until my computer was evacuated on Tuesday. We had a good idea of how fast the fire was coming down 94. The CHP site is updated every 20 seconds. http://cad.chp.ca.gov/ click on San Diego and then click on Harrs Fire.

It took me a couple of minutes to figure out how to make this work. First you click on "San Diego", in the box on the upper left hand side of the page. Then you look through the list of incidents that pops up, to find the one that includes "HARRIS FIRE" in the description. Then you click on the link in the same row (line), but in the "Type" column. When you do that, the bottom of the page will fill in with a sort of event log, with all kinds of useful information, especially about road closures.

Thanks, Randy!

Reader Question...

From Lauren:

Your updates and maps have been invaluable - thanks for the great, continuous and responsible information.

We are awaiting the fate of Wisecarver Truck Trail. We saw the Modis fire map on your site last night showing the fire moving nearly to our back door.

Does anyone have any information on this area? Was the fire that crossed Lyons Valley Road south of Lawson Peak extinguished?

Thanks for the kind words, Lauren. To the best of my knowledge, the fire never got to Wisecarver Truck Trail – but the remote part of that road, closest to Lawson Peak, was very close to where I believe it did burn, and might have burned over. I'm pretty darned sure that the end of Wisecarver Truck Trail near Skyline Truck Trail is undamaged. From all the information I have, the fire in that area is out. Does anyone out there have any more information about these areas?

Reader Report...

Trey M. writes with this report:

FYI, at 11:30 Skyline TT was closed at Babel about a quarter mile up the hill from the scool. CHP said they had not heard anything other than is was to remain closed until they heard otherwise.

Thanks for the update, Trey!

Reader Query...

Alexandra asks:

We heard that Deerhorn Valley was open, but camera shows active fire around what is maybe Barbour Mt. Rd.? that runs into DHV Rd. I'll bet that end of DHV is still closed. Authorities don't know. Do you know?

If I've got my roads straight, I think that is the area where there is a fire – a backfire, I believe (and hope!)...but does anyone out there know for sure?

Harris Fire Update...

San Diego Online's wildfire blog is reporting this:

If you live in the vicinity of Wilson Creek and you see smoke coming up, you may be seeing backfires being set by firefighters to deprive the Harris fire of the fuels it needs to keep burning.

According to Cal Fire, backfiring began in that area yesterday and worked out well, so they're continuing with that this morning.

Elsewhere on the Harris fire, firefighters are putting in containment lines in Hauser Canyon near Barrett Lake.

It seems likely that's the smoke we see in that area; it's in the right place.

Reader Report...

Rusty Beatty files this report from the Steele Canyon briefing, via Blackberry:

I am at steele canyon h s for the 10 am update meeting. Looks likes 6 pm to move back in. Depends on fire burn today.

Thanks, Rusty!

Reader Plea...

From Carlene:

Can someone please call me as to when I might reach my home @ Lawson Valley & Rudnick. Thank you all so much. 760-801-6877.

Carlene, that's the same area where Debbie and I live, so we're watching it closely – keep checking back here for news. And we'll give you a call when we actually make it back home.

Help From Iraq...

I just read this post over at OPFOR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20071026-01
October 26, 2007

Iraqi Army at Besmaya Installation Support San Diego Fire Victims
By U.S. Army Sgt 1st Class Charlene Sipperly
Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq Public Affairs

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Members of the Iraqi Army in Besmaya collected a donation for the San Diego, Calif., fire victims Thursday night at the Besmaya Range Complex in a moving ceremony to support Besmaya's San Diego residents.

Iraqi Army Col. Abbass, the commander of the complex, presented a gift of $1,000 to U.S. Army Col. Darel Maxfield, Besmaya Range Complex officer in charge, Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq, to send to the fire victims in California.

The money was collected from Iraqi officers and enlisted soldiers in Besmaya. In a speech given during the presentation, Col. Abbass stated that he and the Iraqi soldiers were connected with the American people in many ways, and they will not forget the help that the American government has given the Iraqi people. Abbass was honored to participate by sending a simple fund of $1,000 to the American people in San Diego, to lower the suffering felt by the tragedy.

Foreign soldiers that have lived through over 3 years of hell, thinking of us and taking up a collection. Amazing.

Reader Report...

Sawdave reports:

Hi as of 1000 the caltrans sign at 94 and vista diego still says LVR closed at STT.

I did NOT drive to ck point to verify.

Thanks for the report, sawdave...

Harris Fire Update...

No new news, really. The photo is the east-looking scene from Lyons Peak cameras. There's a little bit of smoke visible; something is burning out toward where the Barrett Lake access road first approaches the shore of the lake – considerably further from Lawson Valley than the scary flareup we saw yesterday afternoon. This is a fairly remote and inaccessible location, making the job much tougher for the ground crews…

Reader Report...

Tom S. reports:

We are back in our house in Skyline Ranch. However, when I drove down at 9am to the LVR/STT intersection, the CHP told me it was a hard closure there. They tried to make me leave and I had to tell them my family was back at my house and insist on turning around. It was touch and go for a moment. They have set up another roadblock at STT and Babel Dr., up the hill a ways. It doesn't make much sense because why put a block there is the STT/LV block is a hard closure? I suspect there is a lot of confusion going on. They clearly have let some people back because there are many more cars in our neighborhood now.

They said there would be a meeting at Steele Canyon HS at 10am to clarify things, though how much clarity there will be I don't know.

Thanks for the report, Tom. You be careful near those checkpoints – I'd sure hate to hear you were dragged away, kicking and screaming!

Lyons Peak Cameras...

Update (9:34 AM):

The good folks at HPWREN have already responded to my query. They suspect that there was some sort of problem with daylight saving time (specifically, the changes mandated by congress last year). In any case, they've fixed the problem and the cameras are now updating and timestamping properly.

Thanks, guys – there's a whole bunch of Jamulians who very much appreciate your quick response...

Original Post (9:12 AM):

I'm not sure what's going on with the cameras on Lyons Peak. They seemed not to update for a long time, and the timestamp on the photos seems to be one hour off. Just a moment ago, the photos updated, but still with a screwy timestamp. Keep an eye on those timestamps to make sure the information you see is current (or not)...

Reader Report...

Linda I. called in with some news from her attempt to get into Lawson Valley this morning. She said there was still a checkpoint turning back cars partway up the hill from the stop sign on Skyline Truck Trail – no way through. She was told there may be some news at the 10 AM news conference at Steele Canyon. If any of my readers are attending that conference (I cannot), I would sure appreciate a report.

Linda also mentioned that she saw a lot of police cars approaching the Pius X church in Jamul; she speculates they're going there to get their morning briefing and orders, so perhaps there will be some changes when they're done.

Reader Report...

CLW writes in with this news:

Just so everyone knows, the road closure at Lyons Vly and Skyline Truck Trail by the school is still closed. They're trying to move it farther up the hill so the residents on the lower part of Lyons Vly by Jamul Highlands can get back in.

Great view from Ava Loma, has always been my lookout when ever we have a fire.

Dang it! We are so ready to go back home!

Reader Report...

Reader Rusty Beatty sent in the photo at right and this report:

I wish I had my computer all week. They were sent down the hill on Tuesday. I had friends relaying info from your blog to us on the hill by way of cell phone.

What a week. Hiding for 3 days, had 3 cops come into my house at gun point yesterday. Lived thru fire and get shot by cops, not what I expected. Your blog is the best info I received. Great service.

Here is a picture I took at the top of Ava Loma on Sunday towards Honey Springs. You can see the wind on the pool water. I have more if you are interested.

When did you have to leave? Where do you live in Jamul? I am just up from Rocky Mountain and Lyons Valley Rd , my buddy is hiding at the top of Ava Loma. He has the best views of the fire. The pool picture is his back yard overlooking lee valley.

My sons came back today at 10:00 am and we decided to meet mom for lunch. She had been out since 4:00am Tuesday The boys stayed with me till Wednesday when the fire started coming towards us and the smoke was getting bad. I have been out of my home for only 12 hours and I am getting very upset at how poorly this is being handled. I don't know how you cope. I am almost ready to hike back in. I was misinformed and should never had left, oh well it just another important thing I learned this week. I watched many fire fights on my 4 days of hiding in the hills. I have a 3 page time line from the S D County webpage that I copied only Harris fire information and added comments of what I saw.

I will send some pictures of the fire along Old Burn Way where the helicopters saved all the houses on the street.

Its ok to use my name.

Debbie and I had to evacuate late Tuesday afternoon; we're living out of our RV at a good friend's home in Chula Vista. We live in Lawson Valley, near the intersection of Lawson Valley Road and Rudnick Road.

Harris Fire Update...

This is the view from the east-looking camera on Lyons Peak this morning. Peaceful, beautiful; no sign of the hellish smoke plumes and flame of yesterday.

All four cameras show a fire-free scene.

I have no other information this morning, most especially no new reader reports (since 10 PM last night) or satellite data.

Does anyone know if Lawson Valley is opened back up yet?