As you may or may not be aware, there have been a rash of fires in the San Fernando Valley over the last week and a half. Some of the cities effected by the fires, directly or indirectly, in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas, are: Chatsworth, Van Nuys, Simi Valley, Porter Ranch, Woodland Hills and Calabasas. I happen to work in Calabasas, and it looked a little bleak and doomsday-esque outside.

Our office is South-West of where most of the fires occurred, but even still, we had a lot of smoke overhead, and we were definitely not safe from the threat of the fires jumping the hills, and heading our way. Here was our view of the smoke from the North:

Smoke from the San Fernando Valley Fires

With high winds for the last several days, there was definitely a sincere doomsday feeling around the office. Then you see this, rolling around the streets, and you just have to giggle:

This is the Worst of Days

Seems like the Calabasas fire station got some back up, just in case they had to deal with containment. Taking a quick drive by the station, they had 10 fire trucks mobilized, with lots of (hunky) firemen waiting around.

I really did not feel like dealing with the boatloads of traffic, since they closed part of the 118 freeway, near Sylmar, so I took a more scenic route. Our office happens to be in a part of Calabasas that makes it super easy to just drive down to the Pacific Coast Highway, and completely avoiding freeways along the way. So I took PCH over to the 405 freeway, on my long-winded journey.

Here is an image along my path home, further solidifying the fact that Southern Californians are very far removed from giving two shits about anything but themselves. These people are clearly not effected by the fires, so they are just enjoying a busy day of beach volleyball:

Not a Care in the World While Others are Evacuating

I start to approach Santa Monica, and feel a little traffic building up. No matter any way you cut it, there will be traffic somewhere in L.A., even if you do your best to avoid it.

Entering Sunny, Traffic-Infested Santa Monica

Another grim, doomsday shot as I approach the 405 and 101 freeway interchange. Traffic was actually pretty smooth while I was on the 405.

Fires Looming in all Parts of the San Fernando Valley

Seems like October is the month for high winds and lots of fires in the San Fernando Valley, so it is really nothing new. At least this time around I have some images of it to share.