The Orange County Register reports this morning:
Modjeska Canyon residents evacuated
Thousands of homes Modjeska and Silverado Canyons and the foothills of Lake Forest were being threatened by flames early Tuesday morning as the Santiago fire continued a wind-whipped march through canyons across paper-dry geography. Fire officials were predicting buildings in Modjeska Canyon would be lost after the blaze jumped Santiago Canyon Road and raced through the canyon just after 1 a.m.
The twisting and turning fire refused to give in to the efforts of hundreds of firefighters, changing directions and frustrating residents who had thought their homes were out of danger, only to find a switch in wind direction had forced them back in the path of the firestorm.ÂÂ
Mandatory evacuations were ordered at 1:30 a.m. for all 900 residents of Modjeska Canyon after the blaze jumped across Santiago Canyon Road half an hour before. Families were rushed out of their homes as the eerie orange glow of flames illuminated the night. Fire engines and firefighters crowded Santiago Canyon Road trying to beat back the blaze as caravans of cars escorted by sheriff’s deputies plodded northbound along the smoky Santiago Canyon Road on their way to evacuation centers, hotels or the homes of family and friends.
Read the rest of the OC Register story HERE.
Yesterday Jon Fleischman at the FlashReport wrote:
Instead of a traditional commentary this morning, we want to use this space to ask FR readers to keep firefighters and other first-responders in their prayers as they are battling the staggering amount of wildfires throughout Southern California.
What a nice, yet hollow sentiment Jon. Back in July Fleischman posted the following:
2002 OC RETROACTIVE PENSION SPIKE APPEARS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
A column prepared especially for the FlashReport by Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach.[Publisher’s Note: We are pleased to present this original commentary from Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach. Yesterday we attending a briefing that he gave where he outlined the case for why a retroactive increase to members of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs violated the California State Constitution – Flash]
Moorlach’s proposal would have a devastating effect on the pensions of public safety employees in Orange County and across the state. It seems that Jon is okay with prayer for fire fighters and first-responders, but feels that pension benefits are excessive.  Something tells me that the thousands of people whose homes have been saved so far in Orange County by fire fighters may have a different perspective on Moorlach’s plan today.
My perspective is simple.
Public Safety employees in Orange County are paid well, they have good pensions and benefits. and that is the way it should be.
If only Fleischman would listen to Coulter he would become a Christian and “perfected.” What else could be the cause of such schizophrenic behavior?
I am still waiting for Jon, Matt or Steven Greenhut to provide a baseline on how much firefighters and other first responders should be paid. This is a great post Chris.