Fires Near Van Nuys

Okay, maybe I should not have painted such an idyllic picture of Los Angeles! (See my first post.) The recent fires in Chatsworth, Calabasas, etc, show that L.A. is not perfect. We are prone to fires and earthquakes. And riots. And bad TV movies.

My home is in West Van Nuys, in the flat part; not especially known for wildfires. But Chatsworth is only 10 miles away. It's not every day you watch the news and "CHATSWORTH" is plastered all over the screen!


















As I was driving home from work yesterday (Wednesday) on the 405, the smoke was drifting to the south, toward Malibu and out over the ocean. It didn't seem to affect me much, except that my favorite Mexican restaurant, Los Toros, happens to be in Chatsworth! I couldn't bear to lose another Mexican restaurant! (RIP Rusty's Hacienda in Glendale - you were bulldozed for a Burger King! You will never be forgotten!) But I digress...

Actually, I LOVE living near the Van Nuys airport. We get to see many amazing aircraft flying in and out, especially during air shows. Lately we are seeing massive helicopters. Rather than being an irritation, the sound of helicopters flying over my house makes me sleep better at night.





















But the situation is very serious. As I was driving home tonight (Thursday), the wind had shifted to the east. The smoke (now a hauntingly beautiful gray/pink) was now flowing directly over West Van Nuys. As I drove further north home, the sky went from paradise-blue to death-gray. The smoke-filled air made me cough. I began to see snow flakes. My experience told me these are not snow flakes, but rather burnt-ash falling from the sky. The smoke-filled air was quite thick. Back in the house, it's not so bad. (Glad I spent the big bucks on a new A/C system!) But just open the front door and damn! Close the door! Now!!! Time for a Margarita with Pinky.

I am very proud of our local firefighters. They have saved hundreds and hundreds of homes.

In Chatsworth:















And on Mill Creek:
















These guys are our modern-day heroes.

Thank you AP, Reuters, Yahoo! News, and MSNBC.