Some shots of the Bobcat Fire while away from the house
Soot-covered air filter
I swapped it out in July and it should still have had a few weeks/months left in it, but the fires apparently have caked it up. Based on previous changes of filters in the house every 3 months, this looks like about 2 years or more of dust build up. Changed it because the filter seemed to be whistling in the ducting.
The wind has shifted and the smoke in the atmosphere isn’t as suffocating as it has been until this morning. I still can’t see the Bobcat fire from the house by looking up at the mountain, but it’s apparently very close to Mt. Wilson and the closest part of the fireline is about 3 miles from the house. Things generally aren’t looking good. I suspect we may see flames before the evening is out.
Read a tweet (Twitter)
Read Bobcat Fire: Now More Than 19K Acres, Evacuation Warnings Remain In Place For Foothill Communities (LAist)
The brush fire erupted near the Cogswell Dam and then spread rapidly amid an intense, record-breaking heat wave, prompting evacuation orders for Mt. Wilson Observatory.
Still growing in size, but fortunately not toward high population zones at the moment.
Annotated Bobcat Fire Update (City of Arcadia)
***Update as of 9/9/2020 @ 4:51 PM***Voluntary evacuations lifted for residents north of Foothill Blvd. and east of Santa Anita Ave. The Bobcat Fire has generally progressed away from the City of Arcadia.  The current weather forecast suggests that Santa Ana winds will dissipate this evening and the Red Flag Warning will be removed after 8:00 p.m.Based on these factors, the City of Arcadia is removing the recommendation for residents to evacuate.  However, residents are advised to remain on alert for any changes to weather conditions that may affect the fire.  Evacuations may be necessary for your safety if conditions change. 
This is a particularly good sign!