As if I'd never left

One of my most distinct memories of growing up in Southern California is walking to school on fall mornings with the Santa Ana winds blowing in. By 7:30 AM it's already in the low 70's with a hot breeze in your face.

We've been in the house two weeks and already have our first dose of Santa Ana conditions. When I pointed out this little barb, I wasn't aware of exactly where the fire in question was burning.

I discovered via news scrolls while enjoying some prime-time TV last night that it in fact is fairly close to friends and family:

More than 1,000 firefighters worked against the tricky combination of dry brush, low humidity and temperatures in the high 90s along the line that divides Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

"We are not going to stop this fire until we get a break in the weather," Fire Capt. Mark Savage said.

Shelters were opened in both counties, and many residents responded quickly to evacuation orders.

We still have friends in the SFV as well as Simi, and hope for their well-being in the middle of all this.