Fires continue to ravage southern California from San Diego county to Los Angeles. Know More Media is based in Southern California and while we are familiar with wild fires, this week has been extraordinary. I flew into Los Angeles this afternoon after attending a conference. The LA basin was filled with a smoky haze and pockets of orange fire could be seen from the air.

I was greeted with the smell of smoke and a shuttle driver wearing a mask over his face to filter the air. My car had a light dusting of ash on it and ash fell lightly as I drove to my home. My son’s football practices were cancelled due to air quality.

The sky above was blue but visibility was limited. Look left or right and all you can see is tanish smoke in the distance.

The mighty warm and dry Santa Ana winds started blowing Sunday gusting to speeds of 90 mph and have driven the fires. The powerful winds lifted and dropped embers to new spots. The winds made fighting the fire from the air problematic. Resources on land and air were limited in light of the many fires found burning in the following areas:

• Camp Pendleton fire
• Modjeska canyon fire
• Running springs fire
• Poomacha fire
• Temecula fire
• Santiago fire
• Valley center fire
• Rancho santa fe fire
• Rosa fire
• De luz fire
• Harris fire
• Palomar mountain fire
• Lake arrowhead fire

Google maps have been used to identify fire and evacuation sites. LA Fire Department blog provides an interactive Google Map of fires in Los Angeles County.

In all, more than 1,300 homes have been destroyed and nearly one million people evacuated from a burn area of 600 square miles. News coverage has been national. The Washington Post reported,

“President Bush, who was sharply criticized for his sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, declared a federal emergency in seven Southern California counties on Tuesday, a move that will speed disaster relief, and he said he will visit the region on Thursday.”

While my home and those of other Know More Media employees are safe, the families of two of my friends have evacuated and one fears she has lost her home.

From Calfires, the following information is available for those in need of assistance:

Public Numbers for Fire Areas and Public inquiries

County                                                           Number

• Orange County PIO                       714-628-7085
• Orange County Media                    714-573-6200
• Ventura                                      805-388-4276
• Los Angeles County                      800-980-4990
• San Bernardino County Info Line     909-355-8800
• San Diego County, 211 or cell users 858-300-1211
• Santa Barbara County         805-961-5770 or 805-681-4100
• Riverside County                          951-940-6985