I really ought to say something, here

Two days til the writing starts. Woohoo!

I spent much of the early part of this week keeping up with fire news from San Diego. The Cedar fire has burned much that I grew up with -- but not my old home. It came within 2 miles, maybe less, of my old house, but it didn't get there.

I feel terrible for all of those people who lost everything. I am in awe of the firefighters. One died yesterday, cause for mourning, but part of me is surprised there haven't been more lost.

I read a story earlier this week, and unfortunately I can't find it again now, or I'd link to it, about a Los Angeles firefighter who heard about the fires Sunday morning as he was on his way home from his shift. He headed down to Miramar, where he had once worked, to help. He couldn't make it, though, so he stopped where he was in a neighborhood. He was the only firefighter there. There was no water, but he managed to save 16 of 18 homes that he was trying to save. "In this job you learn to be resourceful," he said.

Sure wish I could find that story.

I found it

It's buried at the bottom of this piece:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/fires/20031027-9999_7n27main.html

*************************
In Poway, Eric Brue, a firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department, took on the flames by himself.

He got off work yesterday morning and headed home with every intention of spending the day watching football. But then he heard about the fire.

"This is what I do," Brue said. "I couldn't sit around."

His plan was to help the Miramar Fire Department, his former employer. But on his way he got caught in fire traffic. As he traveled side roads, he came upon some fires on Caminito Magnifica in Scripps Ranch, where several houses were at risk and no firefighters were in sight.

"The residents were happy to see me," he said.

Brue spent the day "bouncing between 18 houses with no water," he said. But with 14 years' experience fighting fires, he can be resourceful. He used a garden hose, a chain saw he found in someone's yard and some garden tools to try to keep fire from reaching the homes, putting out roof fires and hot spots.

He lost just two.