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Back story: Covering the 2007 wildfires, then and now

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In today’s U-T Back Story, reporter Peter Rowe revisits the wildfires that ravaged San Diego County in 2007.

Q. Do you recall those fires?

A. Yes, vividly, even though I was never on the front lines. J. Harry Jones, the Union-Tribune reporter who is the co-author of today’s story, has harrowing tales of staying ahead of the fires along the border.

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Q. So what did you do during the ’07 fires?

A. The fires were enormous — the total area burned was greater than the entire city of Los Angeles — so editors mobilized the entire staff. I was sent to the Del Mar Fairgrounds, to report on horse owners desperately seeking a safe place to stable their animals.

Within hours, though, people also took shelter there. I spent most of that night and the next day reporting on that scene.

Q. What made the biggest impression on you?

A. The generosity of ordinary San Diegans. The fairgrounds and Qualcomm Stadium — another facility that was used to house people — were soon inundated with blankets and cots, bottled water, hot food, soap and toothpaste.

Q. For this story, did you discover anything these fires that you didn’t know 10 years ago?

A. Yes. Today, city, county and state firefighters readily admit that the firestorm exposed some shortcomings in their attitudes and approaches. The ’03 and ’07 fires forced different agencies to abandon the notion that a fire in one location is fought by that location’s fire department. Now, every agency in the region insists it is committed to fighting fires any where and everywhere in the county.

Q. What other changes were inspired by the ’07 fires?

A. Building codes were revamped, adding many new requirements — from double pane windows to interior sprinkler systems — to new homes. These can be expensive, but some valuable upgrades can be done on the cheap.

Q. Such as?

A. Attaching fine mesh screens to your home’s vents. A firefighter told me that when embers are sucked through a vent, the ensuing fire often isn’t noticeable until the entire attic is engulfed in flames. Then it’s too late to save the house.

Q. The anniversary of this natural disaster just happens to coincide with major wildfires in Northern California and Orange County. That’s an odd coincidence, isn’t it?

A. Yes and no. September and October are wildfire season across the state. It’s a rare year when those months are not marked by flames threatening California homes.

Q. This is a California phenomenon?

A. Yes, but also a global one. One expert I interviewed studied Australia’s 2009 Black Saturday bushfires which killed 173. This year, both Chile and Portugal suffered the most extreme wildfires in their histories.

Q. What’s the most important thing people can do?

A. Plan. Know what you and your loved ones will do during a wildfire (or earthquake, flood or any other emergency). And register your cell phone at readysandiego.org for emergency alerts.

Q. Your story cites a county survey that indicates people are less prepared for wildfire today than they were immediately after the ’07 fires. Why would that be?

A. The most likely culprit: human nature. It’s been a decade since we had a county-wide fire emergency. Some of us have become complacent. But the experts say the next local wildfire is not a question of if; it’s a question of when.

Q. Where can people go to learn more about wildfires?

A. Cal Fire’s official site — fire.ca.gov — is a storehouse of good information: reports on current fires, historic wildfire data, tips on how to prepare your home and loved ones for any future blazes. Also, read today’s story — please! — and check out the latest Re:Focus podcast, hosted by the Union-Tribune’s Daniel Wheaton.

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