You gotta love it when the local media keeps using the word "apocalyptic" to describe the situation in our neck of the woods. . .

Luckily for us, Casa Ogden is nestled safely within the vast and sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, relatively far from the surrounding hills and canyons that are currently covered with dry brush (owing to the driest year ever recorded) more closely resembling tinder than "vegetation." But *cough* we have to breathe, too. Unfortunately these fires were a perfect storm waiting to happen -- the desert winds have mercifully held off for most of the summer and fall, until this past weekend. Those winds are supposed to abate on Wednesday as the ocean breezes kick back in. . . Keep your fingers crossed. It's really bad and it's getting worse.



-jw