Once upon a time, in a small town called Crestville, there lived a young boy named Harry. He was known for his creativity and love for drawing. Harry spent hours every day doodling in his sketchbook, bringing his imagination to life. His favorite medium was a magic pen that he had found deep within the confines of an old library. This magic pen had the power to turn any drawing into a real-life object. Whatever Harry drew with this pen would come to life before his very eyes.
General Information
The Witch Creek Fire broke out shortly after noon on Sunday, October 21, 2007, near Ramona. The fire, aided by strong Santa Ana winds and plenty of extremely dry fuel, spread quickly and reached the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District boundaries at approximately 1:30 a.m. on October 22 and the entire population of the District was evacuated at 10:30 that morning. Rancho Santa Fe firefighters, with the help of strike teams from Northern California as well as other local agencies, spent several days fighting active fire and providing structure protection throughout the District, achieving full containment on October 24. Residents were allowed back in their homes shortly before noon on Friday, October 26, after Fire District and Sheriff's Department officials confirmed the area was clear of spot fires and road obstacles.
Quick Statistics (from within the Fire District boundaries)
- Approximately 6,000 acres burned
- 61 homes/outbuildings destroyed
- 23 homes/outbuildings damaged
- 21,000 evacuated
- No significant injuries or deaths
Damage Assessment
The following is a list of structures that were damaged or destroyed by the fire. If you believe there is an error on the list, please contact the Fire District, 858-756-5971.
There are NO structure losses within the communities of:
- 4S Ranch (tracts)
- The Bridges
- Cielo
- The Crosby
- Mount Israel
Maps
Progression Map
Preliminary Damage Assessment Map (Rancho Santa Fe only)
California Witch and Guejito WUI Fires 2007
The October 2007 California wildfires were a series of wildfires that began burning across Southern California on October 20, 2007. At least 1,500 homes were destroyed and over 500,000 acres of land burned from Santa Barbara County to the U.S.–Mexico border.
Of all the fires, the two biggest were located in San Diego County. The largest, the Witch (Creek) Fire, burned areas north and northeast of San Diego. The fire started in Witch Creek Canyon near Santa Ysabel and quickly spread to San Diego Country Estates, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, Poway and Escondido. Locals in the San Pasqual Valley area reported wind gusts of over 100 mph (160 km/h). From there the fire jumped over Interstate 15 and continued west, causing significant damage in Lake Hodges, Del Dios and Rancho Santa Fe. Strong Santa Ana winds pushed the fires west towards the coast.
The NIST Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Team was invited by CAL FIRE to collect post incident data from the California October 2007 fires. Early on, the NIST WUI Team initiated a case study within the Witch Fire perimeter. The case study is focused on The Trails development at Rancho Bernardo, north of the City of San Diego. There were 274 homes in The Trails, with 245 within the fire perimeter 74 homes were completely destroyed and 16 were partly damaged. Field measurements included structure particulars, specifically roof type, proximity of combustibles to the structure, and damage to wildland and residential vegetation. Documentation included over 11 000 pictures.
The paper, "A Case Study of a Community Affected by the Witch and Guejito Fires," addresses the event timeline reconstruction and general fire behavior observations.
2007 witch creek fire
By that evening, Ramona residents were issued a mandatory evacuation order from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, as the now-named Witch fire quickly spread in the town’s direction.
It was the second-largest wildfire of the 2007 California wildfire season, burning 197,990 acres, destroying 1,650 structures, and claiming the lives of two civilians.
Residents who evacuated ahead of the fire were not permitted to return to town until the evening of Thursday, Oct. 25. Those who tried to return sooner, after the fire threat had passed, were met by authorities and turned back unless they had a compelling reason, such as a need for medication.
Though the town was no longer in danger from the fire by Tuesday, Oct. 23, the reason given for not allowing residents to return was the fact that Ramona Municipal Water District was unable to supply running water. Water service was restored two days after the town was reopened to residents.
Residents who stayed in Ramona despite the evacuation order and those who returned later in the week will remember a community that came together, and the nonprofit and governmental entities that were on hand to offer support in the immediate aftermath of the disaster — and in the months that followed.
Cal Fire issued updates about the fire as events were taking place, and information about the Poomacha fire that later combined with the Witch fire was also included.
The official timeline, reprinted below, begins Sunday, Oct. 21, and ends Tuesday, Oct. 30, when the Witch fire was 97 percent contained.
Whatever Harry drew with this pen would come to life before his very eyes. It was a gift that he cherished and used responsibly. Whenever he wanted to bring something to life, he would carefully sketch it with incredible attention to detail.
Harry's creations amazed everyone in Crestville. He drew magnificent landscapes, whimsical creatures, and even objects that could assist people. One day, he drew a flying carpet for his elderly neighbor, Mr. Thompson, who had always dreamed of traveling the world. With the help of the magic pen, Mr. Thompson embarked on thrilling adventures, fulfilling his lifelong dreams. As word spread about Harry's incredible gift, people from far and wide started visiting Crestville. They came to witness his magical creations and marvel at the wonders he could bring to life. The town turned into a vibrant hub of creativity and imagination, all thanks to Harry and his magic pen. However, not everyone appreciated Harry's talents. A jealous artist named Victor grew envious of Harry's success. He believed that his own skills were superior to Harry's magical abilities and decided to challenge him to a drawing competition. Victor and Harry faced off in a grand exhibition, where they had to create their masterpieces in front of a large audience. Victor showcased his technical prowess, meticulously crafting a still-life painting with stunning precision. The audience applauded his attention to detail. It was Harry's turn next. With the magic pen in hand, he began to draw a majestic dragon. As his pen glided across the canvas, the audience held their breath in awe. Slowly, the dragon came to life, its scales shimmering and its wings unfurling. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause, overwhelmed by the creature's magnificence. Victor, realizing that he could not compete with Harry's newfound creation, felt a pang of regret for underestimating his talent. He approached Harry after the exhibition and apologized for his jealousy. The two artists became friends, and Victor even became Harry's apprentice, learning to appreciate the magic and creativity that flowed through him. With Victor by his side, Harry continued to make the world a more magical place. He used the magic pen to create beautiful artworks that inspired people, brought joy to their lives, and reminded them of the power of imagination. Harry's legacy as the master of the magic pen lived on for generations, igniting the spark of creativity in the hearts of people young and old. And so, Crestville remained a beacon of art and wonder, all thanks to Harry and his magical gift that allowed him to touch the lives of others through his extraordinary creations..
Reviews for "Harry Pattern's magical pen and the power of self-expression"
1. Karen - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with "Harry Pattern and the Magic Pen". The plot was incredibly predictable and lacked any originality. It felt like a rehashing of the same old magical school story that has been done countless times before. The characters were also one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with them. Overall, I found the book to be boring and unimpressive.
2. Mark - 1 star
I cannot understand the hype around "Harry Pattern and the Magic Pen". The writing style was juvenile and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The humor fell flat and the attempts at creating a magical world were poorly executed. The story itself was uninteresting and lacked any real substance. I would not recommend wasting your time on this book.
3. Sarah - 3 stars
While "Harry Pattern and the Magic Pen" had its moments, I couldn't help but feel that it was lacking in several areas. The pacing was inconsistent, with certain parts dragging on while others were rushed. The character development was also quite weak, leaving me feeling indifferent towards the protagonist and their journey. Additionally, the magic system felt underdeveloped, with little explanation or exploration. Overall, it was an average read, but not one that stands out in the genre.
4. Mike - 2 stars
"Harry Pattern and the Magic Pen" had potential, but ultimately fell short for me. The story was promising, but the execution left much to be desired. The writing felt amateurish and lacked polish, with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout. The story also had several plot holes that were never addressed, leaving me feeling unsatisfied. I had high hopes for this book, but I was left disappointed.