Timeshare Resorts Reach Out to San Diego Wildfire Evacuees

We've all watched in horror as wildfires have devastated the San Diego, California area. Fanned by Santa Ana winds and tinder-dry weather, whole swaths of southwestern California have gone up in smoke. Millions of dollars in homes and businesses have been engulfed in flames, sending citizens fleeing in droves. With more than 900,000 people forced to flee their homes, most with few or no possessions and only the clothing on their backs, resources in Southern California are severely strained. In a marvelous humanitarian gesture, many resorts, timeshares and hotels have opened their doors to evacuees. Evacuees have packed hotels solid as far away as El Centro, CA and Yuma, AZ to the southwest of San Diego, and Kingman, AZ and Las Vegas to the north. While many evacuees will be returning to their homes as evacuation orders are lifted, too many no longer have homes to return to. Last night I finally heard from my cousin who lives in the area. Thankfully, her family and home survived. The devastation wrought by wildfires is inexplicable and frightening. My cousin was lucky, but many others were not. If you are booked into a timeshare in the greater San Diego area, you should check with the timeshare or resort management before you leave home. Many resorts were unaffected by the fires, but given the unpredictability of wild fires and their erratic pathways, savvy travelers will call before they pack. Also, resorts that didn't sustain direct fire damage may require heavy cleaning to repair smoke damage before they can welcome guests again. If your timeshare is being used as an evacuation site, please show compassion for the folks who are gratefully staying there. They have nowhere else to go.