June 16, 2026 Notes from the Ridge: Watching the Badlands Burn
Living and building a life in California means deeply embracing the raw, untamed beauty of our landscapes. But it also means respecting the stark realities that come with it. Yesterday afternoon, that reality hit incredibly close to home.
Around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, a column of thick, dark smoke began rising from the Badlands southwest of Calimesa, right near San Timoteo Canyon Road. Within what felt like minutes, the Shore Fire exploded, tearing through the dry brush and rapidly swelling to over 2,600 acres. From our vantage point, watching the sky change color and tracking the path of the smoke as mandatory evacuation orders were issued for neighboring zones was a sobering reminder of how quickly everything can change.
We watched from the house as the westbound 60 Freeway was completely shut down, and the air filled with the heavy, rhythmic thrum of air tankers and helicopters flying low to drop retardant. Over 250 ground personnel rushed toward the ridge to protect our neighboring communities.
When you have a family, events like this bring an immediate, grounding clarity. The evening was spent packing a few go-bags just in case, keeping the kids calm, and reassurance that we were safe while talking through what was happening on the ridges around us. It's a heavy feeling looking out the window at a hazy, orange-tinted skyline, knowing that families just a few miles over are sitting in an evacuation center at Valley View High School, wondering if their homes will make it through the night.
As we step outside this morning, the air is thick with smoke, but we are filled with immense gratitude for the relentless bravery of the CAL FIRE crews and local departments who fought through treacherous, steep terrain all night to build containment lines.
Our thoughts are with our neighbors in Calimesa, Beaumont, and Moreno Valley today. It’s a quiet morning here as we keep an eye on the ridges. Stay safe, stay vigilant, and look out for one another.
