San Diego evacuees fill Orange County hotels

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As far north as San Clemente, the Days Inn was full by early afternoon Monday. Rooms there range from $98 to $109 per night.

By 10:30 a.m. today, desk clerk Lois Kraus said she had turned away 20 walk-ins, including one 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.

“We have a no-animals policy. But you know how many animals we have right now?” she said, waving a hand toward the parking lot, where several guests were just emerging with their dogs.

The evacuees seemed “to all be in good moods,” she said. “They were having fun, going out to have breakfast.”

-- Jill Leovy in San Clemente