[sanddrag]

It seems like where I live is the only area that hasn't burned, and it hasn't burned in like 28 years, and that makes me a little nervous. There is only one small block that separates my house from the brush-covered land.

On the figures, I know that now 15 lives have been lost, and over 600 homes have been lost as well.

Also, many schools and colleges are being shut down because they are being used as evacuation centers.

No air anywhere in the southland is smoke-free the slightest bit. Quality is bad and visibility is poor.

Every morning I come outside all the vehicles have many particles of ash all over them although I am at least 30 miles from any of the fires.

I woke up at 4 in the morning, in my filtered air conditioned house, unable to breath, literally. It is that bad.

I saw a satellite photo on the news and the smoke has blown half way to Hawaii almost. And the weatherman says the air currents will shift and it will all blow back into the mainland.