Riding the rural roads during wild fire season

California's wild fires season has extended a lot over the last decade or so. It used to be just a few months long from mid-summer to late fall (generally from September to early November). Now, it's almost all year long. 

As much as I love riding my bike on lonely rural roads out in the mountains east of town, I generally avoid it during the worst of the fire season (the old August - November time frame) even when there is no fire burning in the area. The summer heat and the mountain horse flies have both proven themselves more persistent than me. 

Even on rare days when I'm both off work and feeling strangely heat-resistant, though, there are things to consider and check on before I head east away from town this time of year:

Smoke plume from the Lilac Fire as seen from central Vista in 2018. 

1. Santa Ana Wind Event: If there is one going on, I stay in town and away from the mountain roads. Period. I made the mistake of heading out to Warner Springs during an early Santa Ana event once, early in my cycling career and will never forget how murderous having that hideous gale as the crosswind on the narrow shoulder-less Hwy 79 could be. I was blown completely off the pavement 5 times between the intersections of San Felipe Rd and Hwy 76. Rare are the days when I love riding the 76 with all its casino and boat trailers and hay and horse trailers traffic... but it runs east-west rather than north-south, so the crosswind became a tailwind then, and I wasn't about to get killed every time I was passed by a big truck.  

2. Check wild fire status before heading out (and if it is possible to re-check during the ride, do). Generally the fires around here burn west... though sometimes they regress a bit back east with the morning onshore wind. Make sure you have secondary escape route if your main route gets (or is in danger of getting) cut off by a fire or its smoke... And, you definitely don't want to be riding on the roads the locals will be using to evacuate for a live fire. 

3. Really... if the Santa Ana Wind is in town, and there's a fire burning within 15 miles of your route, go a different way or just stay in town or on the coast. 

4. If you are one of those stubborn mules on wheels that will go no matter what (shame on you, and doubly so if you end up having to call for help and thereby endangering your rescuers), make sure your cellphone is all charged up (tho... out in the county you may not have cell reception), carry more than plenty of water with you, and have a print out map of the area you will be in. No cell service usually also means no internet... and the Garmin will only be able tell you the uploaded route, but maybe not the possible escape routes. Definitely also be sure someone knows your exact route and when to expect you back. 

5. But, really... don't be an idiot. When the Santa Ana Wind is in town... whether there is a fire burning nearby or not, stay in town or on the coast. Don't head east of town!