So Cal. Fires Are Getting Serious...

I've posted before here about other topics, but let me give you a little background about my job before I get into what I'm so concerned about.

I work as a customer service representative for a shipping & relocation facility (distribution ware house for high value goods) in the bay area of California. So I'm constantly calling and scheduling the delivery of items such as *server racks* going to places such as Livermore National Labs, Sandia National Labs, Moffit Field, Travis Air Force Base, IBM...and places where I have to call with a password just to speak to people...also facilities in the area where I live...which look like closed up companies...but are only accessible from behind the building (via) roll up door...

But other then that, what disturbed me today was the fact that I spoke to a gentleman living in Malibu, California today. Where If you haven't heard already a raging fire is going on...which doesn't look like it's going to let up. But I was speaking with the origin of one my customers when he mentioned where he lived at....so we were talking casually and he started to mention things like...

"Yeah it's been turning into kind of a Katrina...but with fire"...So remembering how for a while they had martial law in New Orleans...I asked him if there were military presence in the area...he replied yes...Camp Pendleton is here... he told me that people have been looting the empty houses of folks that have been told to evacuate.

He estimated around 250,000 have been told to evacuate voluntarily...he had just received word about 2:30pm (PST) to evacuate voluntarily...but said by 7:00pm (PST) will probably hear a knocking at his door telling him to leave...he also mentioned how a stadium close by is being used as a safe haven for all of the people having to evacuate...

He also stated that he lives on the beach and it's about 92 Degrees, with high winds...rain doesn't look as it will be coming any time soon, and the winds won't die down for another 3 days!!!

But what disturbed me the most is that...he mentioned that there are 9 fires going on right now...1 was known to be because of a Transformer that had been blown over and exploded...and the wind hand helped fan the flames to create a fire...but the other 8..."were believed to be arson"...
Now I've been reading about martial law...and I'm worried about the fact that someone...or a group of people maybe...would go to such length's too...create a fire worse then the one California experienced 4 years ago...

Me being paranoid....I feel like this could be another reason to establish martial law in Cali...

But maybe I'm just being paranoid...I'm sorry if this has already been posted...but anyone else care to share their thoughts on the matter?

Has anyone else noticed how much news coverage this is getting?

Are there any similarities in how both incidents have/are being treated?

Could this have been part of a plan of conspiracy? Or just mother nature?

The possiblility of nefarious action in this awful situation can certainly not be ruled out.

wow i dontknow...im here in san diego and im surrounded by smoke my nose was bleeding and my college is shut down. my friend had to leave her place and everything..its so scary to me it looks pretty apocalyptic i want to take a fresh breath of air but i cant..sooooo odd...anyway i havent seen military presence here in my area but who knows what can happen overe night..im kinda skerd to sleep tonight ..

I'm here in buena park which is probably I'm gonna say 50+ miles from any fire and my school was all ashy and smoky today it was horrible, I hope they get these things under control

I'm right next to Buena Park in Fullerton and I know what you mean. I just read on Google news that the Bay area is sending its firefighters south, thank God. Link= www.sfgate.com... I've had to evacuate my home before about 14 years ago when I was a kid due to what was refered to back than as the "Laguna Beach fires". I lived in Irvine at the time. Luckily a backfire saved my neighborhood.

My heart goes out to everyone thats had to evacuate their homes. I know not all of the fires are suspected to be arson related but several are and that pissess me off...Not only are hard working people at risk of losing their home and even their lives but it puts the firefighters in harms way as well

[edit on 23-10-2007 by jeffroyo]