Santa Ana’s

I was able to get to the burn area of the Great Fire of Laguna Beach of 1993. My brother-in-law is an architect in Laguna Beach. He was able to get into the fire areas as he was looking at the damage of several homes for clients. The ground was still warm. The police let him through and never questioned me. Laguna police kept the entire area locked up.   There were hurricane-like 60-70 mph Santa Ana winds, originating in the hot Mojave Desert, picking up speed and heat as they travel. The fire burned 14,000 acres and destroyed 441 homes in one day. Day Two was like Day One. It was an inferno inhaling everything in its path. Roaring like a freight train, fires of this magnitude burn at 2700 degrees, melting everything in its path. That is why when you see the aftermath of a fire, only ashes and a few bits of metal survive. There is another car behind the one in the foreground, also burned. By Day Three, the deadly Santa Ana’s stopped and the firefighters caught a break, enabling them to slow down and get a handle on nature’s fury.