Issue date: 10/13/07 Section: News

"There were little streams of chrome, just like a puddle," he said. "And it just froze like lava."

While being interviewed, Harrison paced. He pointed at a pinecone on a tree. He said the pinecones had naturally evolved to open up in extreme heat in order to release its seeds. This would cause seeds to fall out, scattering throughout the land and repopulating the pinecone species.

"They (pinecones) die, but other pine trees will now live," said Harrison.

Harrison said it could have been worse. He said he was thankful for still having a job, a business and his teaching position.

Harrison said he suffered $150,000 in property damage to his 20-acre lot. He was forced to evacuate by the Border Patrol and found shelter at the last available room at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Chula Vista, he said.

The Harris fire was not the first time Harrison experienced a tragedy. About three years ago, he lost his oldest son to a brain aneurism. He said he is willing to mentor or coach someone that has gone through a tragedy.

"I should have a "why me?" attitude," he said. "But I don't. Positive attitude gets you through anything."

Terry Young

Automotive Adjunct Instructor

When 70 mph winds made the Harris fire race toward Terry Young's

house in Deerhorn Valley, he joined his daughter and son packing and preparing to evacuate. Annuals, pictures, paperwork, clothes - they gathered what they could into a traveler trailer and drove to Young's sister's house in Lakeside.

Young has owned an auto motor machine shop in Chula Vista for 22 years and teaches automotive at SWC as a part-time instructor. He was a full-time professor at SWC for 12 years and became an adjunct after.

Young plans to rebuild.

"It'll be about the same number of square feet, but it'll be a different house because of the new code requirements," he said.

Young said a catastrophic fire had always been a possibility in the 28 years he lived in Deerhorn Valley.

"This was just one of those situations where nature came in and burned everything," Young said. "There wasn't anything that man could do about it."



For information on how to contribute to the three victims, call (619) 482-6367.

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