West Coast
You're right. I used 'city' as we'd use it here, I should have said 'downtown'. I think of being clear of the "city" (British sense) North of the 8, or thereabouts.
As GB Shaw said, we're two countries divided by a common language.
I thought the fire burning from the East along Miramar Air Station all the way to the 805-52 freeway interchange looked very worrying for a time. If that had got into Rose(?) Canyon it could have burned through towards La Jolla, University City and Clairemont. A friend spoke to some firefighters who said they were desperate to contain it at the 805 because there was a real danger it would burn everything in its path all the way to the ocean.