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SPECIAL REPORT: FACING THE FLAMES
SPECIAL REPORT: FACING THE FLAMES
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"There's a lot of people hurting here," said Edward Sherlock, 54, a retiree. He and his wife fled their Ramona home Sunday with their three dogs.
"But there's a lot more helping. I can tell you there's no color barrier to pain. This is a life-changing event. You see and hear different languages and colors here, and none of this means anything because we're all hurting or helping." Sherlock said
A couple of rows of cars down, an elderly woman sat in a lawn chair in the shade of an SUV. She had her eyes closed, reciting the rosary.
More help was available or on the way, officials said. Asked about the mayor's appeal for medical help, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff told a morning news conference that medical assistance teams were "ready to go if requested. They haven't been requested yet."
About 272 people, mostly from Fallbrook or Foothill Ranch, spent the night at El Toro High School's gym in Lake Forest on hundreds of blue, green and red cots set up by the American Red Cross. Tuesday, some were napping; others crowded around a TV, watching news coverage of the fires.
Most said they didn't have friends or family in the area. Several made themselves at home, walking about barefoot or in socks.
Many evacuees apparently paid for their emergency shelter. In San Clemente, the Days Inn was full by early afternoon Monday. Rooms range from $98 to $109 per night.
Desk clerk Lois Kraus said Tuesday she had turned away 20 walk-ins, including a man who cried when she told him they had no rooms. Some would-be guests were waiting in the parking lot to see if anyone left. "We are not taking any phone reservations, let me put it that way," she said.
Tables at the beach city's waterfront cafes were filled, and evacuees with dogs, cars and trailers stuffed with household possessions could be seen on every block.
"They have been coming in since yesterday," said Cindy Campbell, manager at the posh San Clemente Cove Resort condominiums , a time-share complex overlooking the ocean. Evacuees were paying $200 per night -- $25 less than normal -- and were allowed to bring their pets, she said.
Dave Henderson, 43, spent the night with his wife and 13-month-old daughter after leaving the Del Mar area to escape the smoke-filled air. The family got the condo for only one night and was heading farther north, where another hotel room waited in Laguna.
"It could be a lot worse," he admitted, as waves crashed at the pier nearby and people passed by with surfboards.
hgreza@latimes.com
jill.leovy@latimes.com
alex.pham@latimes.com
Times staff writes Charles Ornstein, Francisco Vara Orta and Rich Connell contributed to this report.
"But there's a lot more helping. I can tell you there's no color barrier to pain. This is a life-changing event. You see and hear different languages and colors here, and none of this means anything because we're all hurting or helping." Sherlock said
A couple of rows of cars down, an elderly woman sat in a lawn chair in the shade of an SUV. She had her eyes closed, reciting the rosary.
More help was available or on the way, officials said. Asked about the mayor's appeal for medical help, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff told a morning news conference that medical assistance teams were "ready to go if requested. They haven't been requested yet."
About 272 people, mostly from Fallbrook or Foothill Ranch, spent the night at El Toro High School's gym in Lake Forest on hundreds of blue, green and red cots set up by the American Red Cross. Tuesday, some were napping; others crowded around a TV, watching news coverage of the fires.
Most said they didn't have friends or family in the area. Several made themselves at home, walking about barefoot or in socks.
Many evacuees apparently paid for their emergency shelter. In San Clemente, the Days Inn was full by early afternoon Monday. Rooms range from $98 to $109 per night.
Desk clerk Lois Kraus said Tuesday she had turned away 20 walk-ins, including a man who cried when she told him they had no rooms. Some would-be guests were waiting in the parking lot to see if anyone left. "We are not taking any phone reservations, let me put it that way," she said.
Tables at the beach city's waterfront cafes were filled, and evacuees with dogs, cars and trailers stuffed with household possessions could be seen on every block.
"They have been coming in since yesterday," said Cindy Campbell, manager at the posh San Clemente Cove Resort condominiums , a time-share complex overlooking the ocean. Evacuees were paying $200 per night -- $25 less than normal -- and were allowed to bring their pets, she said.
Dave Henderson, 43, spent the night with his wife and 13-month-old daughter after leaving the Del Mar area to escape the smoke-filled air. The family got the condo for only one night and was heading farther north, where another hotel room waited in Laguna.
"It could be a lot worse," he admitted, as waves crashed at the pier nearby and people passed by with surfboards.
hgreza@latimes.com
jill.leovy@latimes.com
alex.pham@latimes.com
Times staff writes Charles Ornstein, Francisco Vara Orta and Rich Connell contributed to this report.
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