You’ve been hearing our special reports on San Diego’s Morning News today about the huge and deadly wildfire that started on this day in 2007.
We’re bringing you these stories of what happened that day and the days following because it is important that we remember what happened.
The that started today in October 2007 was not the only large and deadly wildfire that has happened in San Diego since the beginning of the 21st century.
Just four years before the Witch Creek complex fire 15 years ago that killed 10 people, another and more deadly fire broke out about the same time in the year, in late October of 2003. That was the Cedar Fire that left 15 people dead.
And 52 years ago, back in 1970, even a more deadly fire happened in San Diego County, the Laguna Fire, that burned all the way from Mt Laguna to El Cajon, killing 16 people.
All these huge fires were fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, a not uncommon occurrence in the months of September and October.
In addition to the cost in lives in these fires, thousands of homes were lost and hundreds of thousands of acres were burned.
But there were also lots of lessons learned, about the methods and resources firefighters fight these mega-blazes. And also lessons learned about why and how it it’s important to be prepared to evacuate and get out before the fires get close.
And it’s very important to remember that today, because of what happened 15 years ago on October 21, 2007.
(Photo Getty Images)
WATCH VIDEO OF 2007 FIRE BELOW.