Growing up along the coast I never really thought much of the Santa Ana winds. While the local news was always covering the crazy wind conditions all over Southern California, the south bay’s coastline was mostly spared from anything more than a light breeze. Naturally, I suspected some kind of conspiracy.

Having moved inland in 2003, however, I can attest that the Santa Ana winds are REAL, and not the fabrication of an overreacting media. I live IN the Santa Ana Canyon and we get some of the biggest hurricane-strength gusts (74mph+) as a result. Anaheim Hills is on the southern side of the canyon.

Here’s some cellphone video I took in my backyard Monday night. I was struggling a little to stay on two feet.

Those palm trees are practically sideways. It’s a miracle they’re still in the ground.

I can handle thunder and lightning. They just make a lot of noise and flashing light and they don’t scare me at all. But wind is another story. Wind scares the hell out of me and keeps me up at night. Wind can destroy things. Wind rips roofs off of houses. Wind can carry a burning ember two miles to spread fires.

Luckily none of the dozen or so fires raging in Southern California are near my house. The closest one is in Irvine and that’s mostly contained by now. There’s still ash and smoke everywhere, though.

On the positive side we’re having some beautiful sunsets.