I drove by the Avila Fire Tuesday Afternoon

Monday they had closed the 101 freeway from about Avila Beach almost all the way to Pismo beach. As I was driving south I was looking at the charred remains all around me and was driving my big 4 wheel drive Tundra Truck and should have been watching the freeway better and didn't see that cars were stopped in front of me. I didn't have to screech my brakes but went over from the fast lane into the emergency lane in case I couldn't stop but I was okay. A lot of people jammed up along the fire route because most of them likely didn't know about the fire. I had checked the route the day before and was surprised to see the 101 closed on Monday night before we left at about Noon on Tuesday heading south. I didn't see any big wealthy homes burned down from the freeway but everything but homes was charred including freeway medians, burned grasses, bushes and trees all along the freeway for several miles. However, the engines were still there mopping up because root fires can coal along for hundreds of feet over several days. So, they can't leave really until they make sure new fires aren't going to start from roots on fire traveling underground in coals after a fire that was over 400 acres or more to begin with.

So, I guess they still aren't sure those roots aren't still coaling and traveling as of Wednesday night as I write this.

when you are traveling (especially in California now) it's good to check your route on Google maps because of fires from now on. There will usually be a big red Minus sign that you click on the map that will show you where the roads are closed where you are traveling through during the fire season from about now to October or November this year in California or other states prone to fire (like everything west of the Mississippi River). IF you are not used to being around fires the single most important thing to know is "you cannot breathe smoke and run" and the second thing is "don't be downwind of a fire under any circumstances ever". Because fires can move as fast as the winds in places like California. So, if you are in 80 to 90 mile per hour Santana winds off the deserts and you are downwind of any fire  you might be dead soon.