The fire in San Diego is 0% contained. I don't live in California anymore, but all of my friends do...my mom, my brother and his wife and kids. The fire that was heading towards them split into two different directions. For right now, it seems that my family is safe. However, several of my friends have lost their homes...It is about to burn to the ocean right now up in Oceanside on Camp Pendelton. I don't care what Homeland Security or FEMA says, they don't have enough firefighters. Jamul, where my parents used to take me to visit a friend's farm at least twice a month, is about to go up...Julian, a very historic mining town, one of the places that helped me fall in love with the mountains, and one of the reasons why I live here in the Rockies, is threatened. During the last big fire, they were able to save it. Now I'm not so sure the way the embers are moving around. I grew up with fire, living in San Diego. This isn't unusual. Actually, when I was three there was a huge fire...they were talking about evacuating us on Navy ships. I grew up to be a wildland firefighter. I loved working with fire. It is a living being...I used to tell that to new students, and it is. It will do everything it can to stay alive. It will generate its own storms, and when it does, be careful. That is when it is at its most dangerous point. It is at this point all over Southern California. When it gets to this point, it is absolutely amazing. It leaves you in awe no matter what is happening. The roar is unreal and terrifying. I heard it at a couple of fires here in Colorado from a distance. I heard it up close at the Lost Alamos, New Mexico fire...When you hear it holding that dinky little hose, you realize you are absolutely nothing. You realize how your ego has been lying like crazy to you about your importance. I worked for ten years as a firefighter...Now I am thinking that I should get red carded again, because I should be home helping....

Two of my cats died this week....living in the wilds isn't always safe for cats. My heart is on the ground with everything. I am hoping to to breath. I hope to help my friends in whatever way. My childhood is burning up. I guess it is time for it to change. Nothing lasts forever...not even the mountains or the oceans.