The Witch Fire was a devastating wildfire that occurred in San Diego County, California in October 2007. It was one of the largest and most destructive wildfires in California history. The fire, which was named after the Witch Creek area where it started, burned more than 197,990 acres and destroyed over 1,600 homes. The Witch Fire was part of a series of wildfires that broke out in Southern California, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds and dry conditions. The fire started on October 21, 2007, and quickly spread due to the high winds and dry vegetation. It rapidly moved westward towards the city of Ramona and the communities of Witch Creek, Rancho Bernardo, and Rancho Santa Fe.
Despite not having a steady place to live that week, he showed up to work — in the fire zone, helping to deliver truckloads of water to fight the flames.
3 miles of roads with asphalt overlay, upgrade sidewalks and curb ramps to be ADA-compliant, remove and replace cross gutters and curbs and gutters, and restripe roadways. 3 miles of roads with asphalt overlay, upgrade sidewalks and curb ramps to be ADA-compliant, remove and replace cross gutters and curbs and gutters, and restripe roadways.
It rapidly moved westward towards the city of Ramona and the communities of Witch Creek, Rancho Bernardo, and Rancho Santa Fe. Firefighters from various agencies and states worked tirelessly to contain and extinguish the fire. However, the extreme conditions made it extremely difficult to control.
Long-coming Witch Creek Fire repairs, improvements headed to Rancho Bernardo
Nearly 16 years after the Witch Creek Fire burned more than 197,000 acres in San Diego County, 9,000 of which were in the city, San Diego leaders Monday kicked off improvements and repairs for streets impacted by the blaze.
Mayor Todd Gloria, City Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert and state Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins joined city staff and community members on Monday to begin the Witch Creek Fire Street Improvements project in Rancho Bernardo.
Christopher Underwood"Sixteen years after the Witch Creek fire burned through this community, the Westwood neighborhood of Rancho Bernardo is finally on its way to healing," said Atkins. "I appreciate the residents who never stopped advocating for funding to fix their streets."
Advertisement"I’m glad they’re finally doing something but it took an awful long time," said longtime resident Fred Gahm. He and his wife saw many of his neighbors lose their homes while their own was spared.
Diane Ron lives just down the street from the Gahms, and is one of the 1,100 whose homes were destroyed.
"Yeah, it’s still hard to think about it," she said, breaking down in tears. “All the ash… The chimney — it was all that (was) left.”
Her home was rebuilt, but the trauma is still there, and the damage to the neighborhood remained for years.
Ron said the streets in her neighborhood needed work even before the fire, and she was upset by Monday’s news conference, where city leaders spoke about the work it took to get the funding for repairs.
Advertisement"It’s a laugh, the Witch Creek Fire repairs. Everyone is repaired already,” she said. “It’s the city who was lagging so far behind.”
"San Diego's road-repair investments have historically been as patchy as our pavement and inadequate to keep our network of roughly 3,000 miles of streets in the condition that residents expect," Gloria said in a statement. "My administration is moving to change that with consistent, focused investments in cost-effective road repairs. The residents of Rancho Bernardo's Westwood neighborhood have waited far too long for their streets to be fixed, and I'm happy that, today, we are getting it done."
Kitty Alvarado KPBSSan Diego Mayor Todd Gloria holds a press conference regarding repairs to damage caused by 2007's Witch Creek Fire. Rancho Bernardo in San Diego, Calif. June 5, 2023.
The Witch Creek Fire started Oct. 21, 2007, when Santa Ana winds knocked down power lines east of Ramona. Flames spread to San Diego city limits and merged with the Guejito Fire, which started in the San Pasqual Valley.
At the time, the fire was the fourth-largest blaze in California history. More than 360 homes were lost to the fire in Rancho San Bernardo alone of more than 1,000 structures destroyed. The fire killed a couple in their home in Poway.
Since 2007, following years of devastating fire seasons across the state, the Witch Creek Fire dropped to 19th-largest, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
"Sixteen years later, this community is still recovering from the devastating wildfires," von Wilpert said. "These repairs are critical to that recovery process."
One of the people helping with the repairs now had been driven from his home by the fire in 2007. Ricardo Marquis is a water tender operator who lived in Ramona.
"We had to evacuate. We left our house for almost a week," said Marquis on Monday.
Despite not having a steady place to live that week, he showed up to work — in the fire zone, helping to deliver truckloads of water to fight the flames.
"You couldn't even see this neighborhood, the smoke was so thick," he said. "All of this, homes, trees, animals, they were all burned."
He said he’s proud to now be part of the team repairing the roads.
"We did what we could. It feels great to help," he said.
The $5.26 million project is intended to repair 2.3 miles of roads with asphalt overlay, upgrade sidewalks and curb ramps to be ADA-compliant, remove and replace cross gutters and curbs and gutters, and restripe roadways. All resurfacing is expected to be completed by the end of June, according to the city.
Funding for the project includes $2.5 million in a state grant designated for wildfire repairs provided by Atkins. Work will take place on Aguamiel Road, Azucar Way, Alcalde Court, Grillo Court, Nevoso Way, Sedero Court, Palito Court, Danza Circle, Escoba Place, Aliento Court and Cabela Drive.
The fire burned for nine days before it was finally fully contained. The Witch Fire had a profound impact on the affected communities. Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate their homes, and many lost everything. The destruction of homes, infrastructure, and natural habitats was immense. The economic impact of the fire was also significant, with estimated total damages exceeding $1.8 billion. In the aftermath of the Witch Fire, there were calls for improved fire prevention and management strategies. The need for better coordination among agencies, increased funding for firefighting resources, and improved land management practices were identified as crucial factors in preventing and mitigating future wildfires. The Witch Fire serves as a reminder of the devastating power of wildfires and the importance of preparedness and response efforts. It also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by communities in fire-prone areas and the need for ongoing investment in fire prevention and management measures..
Reviews for "Witch Fire San Diego and Climate Change: Are We Facing a New Normal?"
1. Samantha - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with Witch Fire San Diego. The storyline was lacking depth and the characters were one-dimensional. The writing style felt amateurish and it was hard to stay engaged. The plot had potential, but it just fell flat for me. I wouldn't recommend this book to others looking for a captivating and well-written witchcraft-themed story.
2. Robert - 1 star - Witch Fire San Diego was a complete waste of time for me. The pacing was uneven, with slow and boring sections followed by rushed and confusing ones. The dialogue was clunky and unrealistic, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Additionally, the world-building was lacking, leaving many unanswered questions throughout the book. I struggled to finish this book and felt let down by the promise of an intriguing witchcraft plot that was never fully delivered.
3. Michelle - 2 stars - I really wanted to like Witch Fire San Diego, but it was just not my cup of tea. The writing was choppy, the characters had no depth or growth, and the romance felt forced and unrealistic. The plot had potential, but it was poorly executed and lacked originality. I found myself skimming through parts of the book just to get it over with. Overall, I was disappointed with this read and wouldn't recommend it to others who enjoy well-developed characters and immersive storytelling.