jarrod,
we thank you for your thoughts.  we cannot even walk outside without seeing our cars and driveways, lawn and the air full of ash....im actually not in the line of the fire...but im breathing it, seeing and filling it all over.  if any of you were in the gulf during desert storm you will understand what we are going thru. the air polution is horrendous...there are over 13,000 homes that have been lost in san diego alone.  over 500,000 people have had to be evacuated.  its pretty bad.  once everything is over and winter comes we will have to worry about mud slides.  mother nature will get us coming and going. 
thanks again for your thoughts.
joanetta