'It's in God's hands now' -- Refugees trickle into centers

By: PAUL SISSON - Staff Writer | Monday, October 22, 2007 7:56 AM PDT ∞

POWAY --- Many held out as long as they dared, but as the clock passed 8 p.m. Sunday, the numbers of fire refugees began to increase rapidly at an evacuation center set up in the gymnasium at Poway High School.

The families didn't stay long.

As the evening wore on, authorities said they were forced to move the evacuees to a hastily set-up center at Miramar High School because of poor air quality created by smoke and ash.

Before the move, however, a Red Cross representative said there were about 40 evacuated Ramona residents already registered, with more arriving steadily to wait out the wind-driven Witch Creek fire that was bearing down on their homes.

Charles Davis and his teenage daughter, Lorissa, arrived at about 7:45 p.m. after leaving their home in the hills north of Ramona at about 7 p.m.

"The velocity of the wind up there in the canyons and hills is just unbelievable. They came and told us we had to evacuate, so we put the dogs in the car and we left," Davis said.

He said he cleared brush as far away from his home as possible, but nervously added that, because half of his 4.7 acres is on land considered environmentally sensitive, he was not able to cut as big a buffer zone as he would have liked.

"In some places it's 40 or 50 feet from the house," he said. "We did everything we could to prepare. It's in God's hands now."

The Davis family brought Callahan and Reily, a Labrador mix and a Shih Tzu, with them to the shelter, which set up a space for animals outside on a nearby baseball field. With smoke making the heavy sports lights look hazy, the animals peered out from their kennel at other dogs and cats also waiting for their families to return.

Nearby, Amy Parr and her husband, Michael, sat with their three cats and one dog. They planned to pitch a small tent next to their animals and sleep outside.

"We brought enough camping supplies that we can be out for awhile and there will be no problem," Amy Parr said.

She said the family had a wild burro it had to leave behind on their east Ramona property.

"He's pretty wily, and we're hoping he will be OK out there," she said.

Though she regretted having to leave her pottery and basket collections and 1,300 books behind, Parr said she did manage to grab an eclectic mix of family artifacts, including a tablecloth her grandmother crocheted, her grandfather's muzzle-loading rifle and a broadsword she likes to take to renaissance festivals.

"It's strange the kinds of stuff you end up grabbing at the last minute," she said.

Many who were at the high school Sunday night said the Paradise and Cedar wildfires of 2003, which threatened Ramona, prepared them well for the latest blaze.

Bill Mielke and his wife, Elaine, left their home in Ramona's Country Estates community a little after 3 p.m.

Bill Mielke said he learned from the Cedar Fire that it is best to get out of Ramona early.

"I remember last time we tried to leave and there were trucks pulling horse trailers backed up for miles trying to get out. The hills were on fire on both sides of the road," he said. "This time I said, 'No, we're going to get out now. We're not going to wait.' "

Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 901-4087 or psisson@nctimes.com.

Roads closed because of Ramona-area wildfire include:

- Highway 78 at Magnolia Avenue

- Highway 78 at Rancho Santa Teresa

- Highway 79 at Highway 78

- Old Julian Highway at Vista Ramona Road

- Highway 79 at Highway 76

---- Source: California Highway Patrol, as of 10:45 p.m.

Contacts and updates:

24-hour Community, Health and Disaster Information: Dial 211

County General Information Line: (858) 694-3900

County Office of Emergency Services fire updates: www.sdcountyemergency.com

San Diego Gas & Electric Co.: www.sdge.com

California Highway Patrol traffic and road closure information: cad.chp.ca.gov

County Animal Services emergency information: (619) 767-2675

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

Heather f/ Poway wrote on Oct 21, 2007 10:51 PM:Is it true that evacuee's are now being sent to Mira Mesa High School due to the bad air quality at Poway High?

Escondido Res wrote on Oct 21, 2007 11:14 PM:Yes that is true. But it I am not sure if it is air quality or fire danger

CJ wrote on Oct 21, 2007 11:15 PM:Yes, it's true, Mira Mesa is the new evacuation center as the area surrounding Poway High is being evacuated.

LC wrote on Oct 21, 2007 11:43 PM:If the fire is headed towards San Pasqual, what about all those folks from Ramona evacuating on the 78? Same with Poway and the 67. Maybe they are better off in the middle of town?

Ryan wrote on Oct 22, 2007 12:19 AM:The Poway location was closed due to the air quality, not fire danger, thank goodness. And Poway itself is not as the moment being threatened, as far as I can tell.

There is no wrote on Oct 22, 2007 3:41 AM:God. It's only in the mind of some. There is only nothingness. Period. THAT is true.

to "There is no..." wrote on Oct 22, 2007 6:46 AM:So we know two things about you, and neither are relevant or helpful to the situation: you are somewhat callous and you have some beliefs in nothingness. Since you can't contain yourself to your ideas of nothingness, at least be able to offer some empathy to those who are enduring real hardship and difficulty in the real world. May God help these people and may He also grant you some wisdom.

true? wrote on Oct 22, 2007 6:49 AM:If "there is no" is right, then how about offer some evidence for your assertion? A "just so fairytale" story from you in a time like this is completely inappropriate.

Vista Granny wrote on Oct 22, 2007 6:56 AM:The horror of fire. All of Ramona and the newer housing development close by? Red skies in Vista once more. How sad.

Monica wrote on Oct 22, 2007 6:58 AM:To Ryan C in Ramona, God Bless all of you. Lots of prayers from MI.

true? wrote on Oct 22, 2007 7:21 AM:If "there is no" is right, then how about offer some evidence for your assertion? A "just so fairytale" story from you in a time like this is completely inappropriate.

James wrote on Oct 22, 2007 7:26 AM:Let's not blame God, that is so weak. Fires like this in these areas are completely predictable. Man is perfectly capable of detecting these fires and evacuating, or designing fire resistant communities. Man is also capable of living in a downtown condo if they can't live with the risk of wildfires.

It's in the God's hands now" wrote on Oct 22, 2007 8:25 AM:So tell all the firefighters to go home and not risk themsleves; Jesus will put the fire out.

LOL wrote on Oct 22, 2007 8:32 AM:"Jesus will put the fire out" ROFL! I can't wait to hear a religious person's response to that one...

Prayer up wrote on Oct 22, 2007 8:48 AM:Prayers going out to our brave firefighters at this time! And many thanks for risking your lives for our communities.

Prayer up wrote on Oct 22, 2007 8:50 AM:Prayers going out FOR our brave firefighters! (I didn't check my post before I hit send.) Double prayers now.

Dennis wrote on Oct 22, 2007 9:05 AM:Sometimes Jesus and God want us to go through trials. Also, God expects man to work (surprise surprise), so telling man to just leave it up to God is a pretty ignorant statement. What we leave to God, is our heart and mind, and if we must endure what Job endured, so be it.

Liza wrote on Oct 22, 2007 10:43 AM:my daughter lives in 4S ranch area and i can't reach her and i'm worried. - i live in l.a. does anyone know what situation is near dove canyon and camino del norte area? thanks

Larry wrote on Oct 22, 2007 12:01 PM:'It's in God's hands now'? God must have pretty devilish hands. What a stupid, thoughtless statement to make. Can we keep religion and superstition out of the news? It's in the hands of nature, firefighters, rescue workers and whoever else is responsible for keeping us safe and protecting our properties. Nothing to do with God!

Robby wrote on Oct 22, 2007 11:56 PM:To my chat partner Julie/Jewels from Poway I am hoping and praying you are safe From Robby in South Australia

emily wrote on Oct 24, 2007 6:45 PM:To Jessie H. of Poway, and N. Grace M. of R.B. I am praying for you, i hope that you are alright. form Michigan.

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