California Fires - Pictures from Brea

I took these pictures on Sunday November 16, 2008 at around 6:30am while driving home on the 57 freeway. The Placentia/Brea fire was so smoky you could not see any blue in the sky, it was like the surface of Mars. The Carbon Canyon/Chino Hills fire had also left its smoky imprint across the sky.

The map at the top shows my route, the pictures were taken in chronological order while driving north on the 57, and where the man is standing on the map is where the LAST pic was taken (from top to bottom). Both my friend in the car with me and I were covering our mouth and nose with wet t-shirts so we could breathe a little easier.

The smoke was so thick I could not see how anyone in Fullerton, La Habra, La Mirada, maybe even Norwalk, Cerritos or Whittier would be able to operate that day. You literally had to tell your body "keep breathing; inhale, exhale."

To everyone in those areas reading this, I hope you all are breathing a little easier.

And to all the victims of the fire I said a few silent prayers for your safety.