# California Wildfire Evacuations! Who's in trouble?



## moore2me (Oct 23, 2007)

*This morning I was shocked to read in the DIMS Longue that Fa Man Stan had to evacuate his home due to the California wildfires. * It got me to thinking that perhaps there are other DIMMERS in a similar circumstance. I do not know how to reach out to them, but perhaps others in this community do. *Could we do another roll call for people you know who are in danger & live in the firestorm area & need our special prayers & concern?*

God bless and keep you guys out of harm's way. Let us know who you are or who you are worried about in the danger area. 

Moore2me


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## Sandie S-R (Oct 23, 2007)

We were evacuated yestereday morning about 9am. We spent the day with some friends whose home is closer to the beach and further north from where we live. The air was not as bad there yesterday, so we sat it out for a while. They have evacuated such a huge area in San Diego that it is mindboggling. The freeways were jammed yesterday and no one was getting out of town. We have a tile roof on our house (which is better than the shake shingle), and Guy watered the hill on the back of our property and our wood patio roof several times during the day as a precaution. The air is thick and very unbreathable, and raining ash everywhere. When we left, we loaded the family pictures, a bag with enough clothes for a few days, the laptop, camera and us. That's it. It's just stunning to sit and watch this on the news. Many friends have checked in and it seems that everyone is being evacuated. Over 350,000 have been evacuated in the San Diego area. Very, very scary.

Last night about 6pm they lifted the evacuation for our neighborhood. They managed to contain the fire that was just a mile to the east of us. So, Guy and I decided we would be more comfy in our own home and bed. We spent the night here, and so far so good for us. 

Not too good for most here. Fire continues to rage everywhere, with more new fires springing up. More people are evacuated. This has been touted the worse fires ever. From what I've seen it doesn't surprise me. The good news is, they were very prepared for this, and the shelters and evac centers are amazing. Were getting lots of emergency help. Bad news, too many homes and businesses lost. Way too many. 

So for now, we are at home...and watching things carefully. We are still prepared to evac again at any moment should the winds shift. We still have 2 more days of this to get thru before the winds die down. There are still fires that are very close to us, and the air quality is very poor.

Here are some pics from yesterday from the top of the hill behind our house first 3 are from around 9:30am. 

First one is facing the ocean...the next one is panning to the south, and the third one is to the east. You can see the ominous color of the sky. The last one is the Sunset over our house from the front yard last evening when we got home. 

View attachment fire1.jpg


View attachment fire2.jpg


View attachment fire4.jpg


View attachment fire5.jpg


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## mango (Oct 23, 2007)

*My thoughts are with the people dealing with this ordeal in southern California - Sandie, Stan and their families.

It is eerily similar to the bushfires (the term us Aussies call wildfires) we have suffered here over the last few summers. The intense drought our country is in has only made conditions worse and the bushfire seasons longer and more threatening.

I am familiar with the smoky haze in the air covering the sun. One day last summer (or it may have been the summer before), the smoke was so intense coming from the nearby hills here in Melbourne that you could barely see the sun at all. You would have thought it was some sort of cloudy, foggy day but it was all smoke and the smell of burning leaves permeated through the air.

Our firefighters were also stretched to the limit as the spread of the fires was too big to contain.

I'm surprised So Cal is dealing with this so late in the autumn. I would have thought the heat would have dissipated and made conditions less intense. Hopefully the winds will die down soon.

Our bushfire season & summer is fast approaching and we are still in the grips of the biggest recorded drought in this nation's history. Last weekend, we already had temperatures hitting 30 C (or 85 F) and it's only mid-October.

Stay safe!

*


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## Tad (Oct 23, 2007)

Wow, I'm glad you have been spared, but what a nerve-wracking ordeal! Keep being careful, please.

-Ed


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## Ruby Ripples (Oct 23, 2007)

Sandie, thankyou for posting and sharing your experience. I can't imagine how you must be feeling, waiting at any time to be evacuated, and worrying about your lovely home, and all your friends there. The photos are really spooky and give a much better appreciation of your situation - very best of luck to you and your husband, and I hope you get a big rainfall to dampen everything down.


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## Kimberleigh (Oct 23, 2007)

My 13 year old goddaughter moved back to her moms house in the San Diego area this summer. I'm worried sick, haven't heard from her.

Sandie - I'm so glad you and Guy are safe and home. I hope there's no further threat to you and yours.


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## EtobicokeFA (Oct 23, 2007)

I wish the best for all you guys in the Southern California area.

Have we heard from all our people down there yet, are there all okay?


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## Jane (Oct 23, 2007)

Parts of Oklahoma had them the last two years. It is absolutely heartbreaking to think of the destruction here and there. 

Know you're in our thoughts.


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## Sandie S-R (Oct 23, 2007)

mango said:


> *....
> 
> I'm surprised So Cal is dealing with this so late in the autumn. I would have thought the heat would have dissipated and made conditions less intense. Hopefully the winds will die down soon.
> ......*



Mango...

The problem here is the Santa Ana winds. Normally our winds blow in from the ocean. But occassionally (and especially in October) we get strong Santa Ana winds that blow from east to west. Couple that with a high temp, (it was 94 degrees at the beach yesterday), low humidity (less than 10%), very dry land and vegitation....it's a disaster waiting to happen. The first night, when the fires got out of control, the Santa Anas were gusting to 70 miles an hour. 

It really is a nightmare. I just heard on the news that over a half a million people have been displaced here in the San Diego area.


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## Sandie S-R (Oct 23, 2007)

missaf said:


> Our Boy Scout Camp in Running Springs is a total loss to the fires  Gideon and I loved this place and it was my plan to work there all next summer as the camp director.



Oh Missa! We were just listening to info about Running Creek and trying to figure out where that was. I am so sorry for you and Gid. This whole thing is so tragic. I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around all that has happened. And yet today there are still more new fires that are burning hot and moving fast.


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## Risible (Oct 23, 2007)

mango said:


> *I'm surprised So Cal is dealing with this so late in the autumn. I would have thought the heat would have dissipated and made conditions less intense. Hopefully the winds will die down soon.*



As Sandie mentioned above, we have what are called "red flag days," when the weather conditions are just right for a fire. Couple that with one of the driest years on record for So Cal last rain season, and it's a catastrophe waiting to happen.

There are so many fires going on right now, at least a dozen major, home-burning, people-threatening fires. I suspect arson behind it. That's one of the sickest, most immoral acts I can think of - waiting for a red-flag day to start a fire in these parts. It seems to have been happening more and more.

As I posted in the Clubhouse, my brother is a firefighter for L.A. County. Every year he's called in to help with these huge wildfires. It's mandatory - all hands on deck. Every year it's a week or so of little sleep and little rest, infernal heat, stress, chaos and danger. Please keep the firefighters in your thoughts and prayers. Please keep those made homeless in your thoughts and prayers also.


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## SocialbFly (Oct 23, 2007)

three things...
I heard from Babyface, they are all ok so far (incl their house)...

I will keep in my thoughts all the people working in the area...

and i sure picked a great time to move there...


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## A Bolder Boulder FA (Oct 23, 2007)

Hope everyone's okay. Wildfires in CA are serious business. 

-Bolder


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## FatAndProud (Oct 23, 2007)

Wise words from a wise man-bear. *cough*globalwarmingwe'regonnadie*cough*


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## Jon Blaze (Oct 23, 2007)

A Bolder Boulder FA said:


> Hope everyone's okay. Wildfires in CA are serious business.
> 
> -Bolder



They are anywhere. 

I hope everyone is ok.


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## Jay West Coast (Oct 24, 2007)

Our prayers go out to our BBWFA peeps down there. I hope you guys stay safe, and that you can return to your homes likety-split.


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## TurquoiseTantrum (Oct 24, 2007)

I live in Solana Beach and we had to leave for a while. Everything is okay now, but I seriously want to KILL my roommates.


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## Jennygirl (Oct 24, 2007)

I am lucky enough to be in a more metro area about 4 miles from Newport Beach so we are spared from the danger of the fires...just have to suffer through the dismal air quality and high heat and no air conditioning. I have the windows open tonight since the wind is dying down and the air is a little clearer for a minute just to get some air in the house. My son has severe asthma so he's hating me alittle right now but i'm making him wear a mask everywhere to keep it under control  Hoping to keep him out of the hospital. I personally have swollen red eyes, constant cough and sneezing and chest is hurting...I'm grateful we don't have to evacuate but I hope they get all these fires under control and that the reports of a wind shift are true...if the wind starts coming from the ocean again instead of inland Santa Ana winds we can start getting cold, moist air to cool things off....

My prayers and thoughts are with all of my friends who have had to evacuate and especially those with horses and other animals...It's hard to fathom that there are over 500,000 people displaced right now...So scary!


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## Theatrmuse/Kara (Oct 24, 2007)

SO glad to hear Stan and Sandie and Guy and the others are safe. You are all in our thoughts during this nasty time.
Hugs, Kara


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Oct 24, 2007)

I'm glad everyone is ok!!! OMG, fires are so scary and unpredictable and detrimental to the asthma inclined such as myself. I've dealt with my share being from Idaho and all....and one point, I was in a town, Salmon, Idaho, that was surround on all sides by wildfires....YIKES!

Sandie, I am happy your *beautiful* home made it through everything as well! 

I miss San Diego....I would still move there if I could...fire and all.


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## moore2me (Oct 24, 2007)

It is sobering to hear and read all the horrible things these wildfires have brought on our friends in California. I'm afraid too - there will be more and more devastating and heartbreaking stories coming in as the days progress. (This is turning out to be another natural/or manmade disaster comparable to Katrina or tsunamis or earthquakes.) 

I am glad our friends so far have made it through in safety. I want to thank the people that helped save the public - the firefighters, the police, the volunteers, the Red Cross, and the countless others working until they were exhausted. I thank God and his angels for watching over the people and their animals - but, I realize their work is not yet finished.

And to those that have lost homes, cars, belongings, and other property - we feel for you too. I can only imagine what it would be like to have to start over having lost everything to fire - my pictures, my clothes, my comfortable home, the memories of a lifetime. And, from judging what happened to the victims of Katrina - I hope the insurance and the civil authorities treat you guys better than the ones in Louisiana & Mississippi were treated. 

You continue to have our prayers and are in our thoughts.

Moore2me


From *The Bible, Old Testament, Book of Daniel*, (King James Version) 

Then these men were bound in their coats, their hose, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered, and said unto the king, True, O king.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men,upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell off fire had passed on them.*Daniel,* Chp. III, 8, 9, 12-27.

http://www.doreillustrations.com/bible/p5-050.html Image by Gustave Dore, 1865 

View attachment Dore's fiery furnace.jpg


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## imfree (Oct 24, 2007)

...........but the system wouldn't let me![/ATTACH]


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## Sandie S-R (Oct 24, 2007)

This is undoubtedly the most unbelieveable situation. It is still hard to wrap my mind around the sheer size and numbers of the displaced and homeless. 900,000+ people that have been displaced (evacuated). Over a billion in damages. Some fires still raging. We've heard from some friends that they have lost everything, and your heart just aches.

Just thought I would pass on some info. A lot of you may know Carol Hiller (CarolDiego - wife of "Toonman" Michael Hiller). Her Son Franklin and Franklin's father Sam who live in Poway, lost everything; their home and avocado groves (Sam's business). 

We were one of the first areas that allowed people back in to their homes after evacuation. We are very fortunate in our area. Yet just over the hill to the south of us in Olevinhain it was burned badly. 

The air here is still quite bad. We have an air cleaner running in the house and are keeping windows and doors shut tight. 

I am actually beginning to see some blue skys again overhead and toward the beach. This is a good sign.


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## autopaint-1 (Oct 24, 2007)

Sandie S-R said:


> This is undoubtedly the most unbelieveable situation. It is still hard to wrap my mind around the sheer size and numbers of the displaced and homeless. 900,000+ people that have been displaced (evacuated). Over a billion in damages. Some fires still raging. We've heard from some friends that they have lost everything, and your heart just aches.
> 
> Just thought I would pass on some info. A lot of you may know Carol Hiller (CarolDiego - wife of "Toonman" Michael Hiller). Her Son Franklin and Franklin's father Sam who live in Poway, lost everything; their home and avocado groves (Sam's business).
> 
> ...


 
Sandie, there's really not much that I can add other than to say that my thoughts are with Guy & You and everyone who lives in that part of the country. My daughter who is currently in Scotland has a good friend from college who lives in San Diego. I have no idea what their status is. I know that everyone here is praying for you and hopefully soon, this nightmare will pass.


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## chublover350 (Oct 24, 2007)

im pretty close to the fires by san Diego....its pretty bizarre that there are so many going at once. theres one thats on the mountain range behind my house. hopefully we wont have to evac soon....:shocked:


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## FatAndProud (Oct 24, 2007)

imfree said:


> ...........but the system wouldn't let me![/ATTACH]



lulz you should've done a screen shot, it's much easier.:doh:


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## imfree (Oct 24, 2007)

FatAndProud said:


> lulz you should've done a screen shot, it's much easier.:doh:


 

I could not do a screenshot until I closed the rep banner. Might be 
a Firefox thing.


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## stan_der_man (Oct 24, 2007)

Sandie S-R said:


> We were evacuated yestereday morning about 9am. We spent the day with some friends whose home is closer to the beach and further north from where we live. ...


I send my best wishes to you Sandie! I quickly glanced at this thread I didn't see anybody else evacuated, if there is anybody else I send my good thoughts to you too!

Thank you for the good thoughts Moore2me I appreciate them, I know we are just "doing battle" in jest. 

Thanks for the call and update on my blog Missaf, I appreciate it! Posted here are some pics that I posted in the clubhouse and some pics that we just took at the coffee shop that we are now at.

I can't believe how wide spread these fires are! I thought about you Sandie and the San Diego area. I'm glad it sounds like you are doing well. From what I've read and heard on teh news things are still out of control there in OC mountain areas and SD county.

The problem that we are having is that Crestline isn't that well known of an area so we don't hear too much about what is going on, we have to rely on the web to get detailed info. From what we've read Crestline is doing OK, Cedarpines Park and Valley of Enchantment still don't have mandatory evac orders. It sounds like the Dart Canyon area is getting under control, so the Lake Gregory / San Moritz areas (where we live) are doing OK, but none of the highways are open. We still seem to have electricity at our house so hopefully we won't have the refrigerator meltdown (and resulting mess) that we had last time. My mom realized that we evacuated on the exact same day that we did 4 years ago (Oct 23). Other mountain areas aren't doing very well (as Missaf wrote) the Boy Scout camp in Running Springs is gone, as are many houses in Running Springs. The fire is still out of control in RS and Lske Arrowhead. On the night Junior and I we left, there were milk carton sized embers landing in Twin Peaks (about 2 liniar miles from our house). They abandoned Green Valley Lake as it was surrounded by fire, they thought it was a total loss, but afrter the smoke cleared they saw that the main village was still there and it wasn't as bad as they thought. right now Fredabla (south Running Springs) is burning badly. Lssst time we had to stay out of our house for 11 days, I'm hoping it won't be that long this time. Mtmaiden's school district is closed down until the end of the week so she doesn't have to go back to work. I'm hoping to go back to work tomorrow, I'll bring Junior to her day care on my way there. At least the wind has calmed down, it was terribly windy when we drove to La Verne on the 210 Fwy. Biodieselman, I saw some of those tipped over trucks you mentioned! My Explorer was really bounced around, it was slow going!

Over all we are in good spirits, we are taking good care of ourselves at my mom's house but we miss being home. I'll try to check in to Dims again from work, but it may be very busy for me tomorrow while I catch up on things I missed.

Stan


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## stan_der_man (Oct 24, 2007)

Pictures just taken of us at a La Verne coffee shop with WiFi.

Stan


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## stan_der_man (Oct 24, 2007)

Almost forgot, here are some websites to find out information about the San Bdo mountain area fires:

http://www.mountaininfo.com/webcams.html
http://www.rimoftheworld.net
http://www.crestlinechamber.net/

The Crestline Cam and Lk Arrowhead (Lake View) Cam still seem to be live. The golf course webcam seems to be gone, the fire was reported in that area.


Stan


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## AnnMarie (Oct 24, 2007)

So glad you're all hanging in there, Stan!! Thanks for the updates and pics, keep us informed when you have the time/chance.


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## moore2me (Oct 24, 2007)

Stan, It's good to hear you & yours are doing so well. I hope the next few days pass unevenfully. From the coffee shop pixs, I can tell you & Mtmaiden are trying valiantly to be cheerful and brave for junior. Also, in the single shot of junior sitting in the chair, she looks exhausted - this evacuation and uprooting of her life must be very stressful on a little girl. And, to think that this picture is multiplied by the tens of thousands of other children forced from their homes too.

Moore2me 

View attachment coffee01.4.jpg


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## Ruby Ripples (Oct 24, 2007)

Thankyou for posting Stan, so glad to hear you are safe and well. I feel heart sorry for all of you living in these areas, it must be so scary all the time. Very best wishes to everyone living there, I hope you all get back to your intact homes, safe and sound. Take care.


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## Tina (Oct 25, 2007)

Thank goodness! I'm glad for an update, Stan. I have been thinking about you all quite a bit and hoping you are fine, and your house, too. I've been very glad to read that the winds have really calmed down, and hopefully they will be able to get the fires under control.


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## adasiyan (Oct 25, 2007)

I remember that fire mango, it was horrible
Bushfire season in Melbourne sucks.

My thoughts are with those fighting and surviving these fires.



mango said:


> *My thoughts are with the people dealing with this ordeal in southern California - Sandie, Stan and their families.
> 
> It is eerily similar to the bushfires (the term us Aussies call wildfires) we have suffered here over the last few summers. The intense drought our country is in has only made conditions worse and the bushfire seasons longer and more threatening.
> 
> ...


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## Shosh (Oct 25, 2007)

Glad to hear from you Stan and all others too. Stan I am glad you and your wife and your little girl are safe and well.

Lets hear it for the Fireys also. They do an ace job of protecting life and limb.


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Oct 25, 2007)

Stan, your little angel never fails to make me go "awwww".


I see you too are in a mixed marriage, lol. Mike adores his mac....like to a scary degree, lol....and I am attached to my PC...though I am considering a blackbook or so I hear it called.


I'm happy you guys are safe. I was really worried about all my peeps down in So Cal when I first heard about the out of control fires. I'm happy you guys are alive and accounted for.


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## IwannabeVERYfat (Oct 25, 2007)

My sincere prayers go out to all displaced by the fires,and to the brave firefighters as they
do their dangerous jobs. last news report I heard, they said it was arson, how can someone do such a despicable thing???


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## Sandie S-R (Oct 25, 2007)

Hey Stan...

So glad to hear you all are OK. Sorry that you're still out of the house. 
That is a very scary feeling. We we're lucky to only be out of our house for a day, and even that had me in a panic. Things are fairly under control here in SD. Thank God the winds died down and the humidity is back. The biggest problem at the moment for us, is the air quality. Because the Ocean breezes are back, they are blowing the smoke back in (that had been blown out to sea), and the bad air is stalled here over the coast where we are. Thank goodness we have a really great air filter (we've been running it non-stop) that Guy bought some years back. It has been my saving grace. The air outside is just awful. Guy spent the morning outside cleaning up our yard, broken tree limbs and lots of debree from the winds and fires. I made him wear a face mask.


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## liz (di-va) (Oct 25, 2007)

I can't imagine having to deal with this, especially in the perpetually Yumid Midwest--trying to figure out how to stay or go or look after your stuff or your person or...what. It seems so terrifying and heart-breaking and difficult in the best of times. I have been thinkin of everybody out there, so much.

Thank you so much for the updates! All my best--


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## SilkyAngela (Oct 25, 2007)

Thank you for posting the updates everyone. I've been checking in on all my CA friends and keeping you all close to my heart.


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## hadesnuggz (Oct 25, 2007)

I just read somewhere that theyer sayin al-queda started the fires... Isnt that a trip!?


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## imfree (Oct 25, 2007)

hadesnuggz said:


> I just read somewhere that theyer sayin al-queda started the fires... Isnt that a trip!?



WOW, that is easy to believe. It may or may not ever be proven true, even if they really did start the fires. What an easy way to gather support for "The
War On Terrorism", blame the fires on Al-Queda!


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## moore2me (Oct 25, 2007)

hadesnuggz said:


> I just read somewhere that theyer sayin al-queda started the fires... Isnt that a trip!?





imfree said:


> WOW, that is easy to believe. It may or may not ever be proven true, even if they really did start the fires. What an easy way to gather support for "The
> War On Terrorism", blame the fires on Al-Queda!



I can see the wheels turning in their little heads now.

Can't blame mother nature. Can't blame global warming (we did that to ourselves didn't we?) Can't blame fate or curse God (that's not permitted in our society). Can't blame the Democrats or Republicans or the Homosexuals. Why not blame AL-QUEDA? Yeah! That's the ticket! 

War on terror not going too good. Needs some pumping up in the old public opinion poll - maybe people are stoopid enough to buy this load of horseshit?


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## Aliena (Oct 25, 2007)

My thoughts and prayers are with y'all in California. I'm truly sorry nature is being so intense this year. 

Fires in the west, floods in the middle, and drought in the east--what's next; dare I ask?


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## saucywench (Oct 25, 2007)

This site provides some interesting maps related to the wildfires in Southern California. One map includes a partial listing of addresses where properties have been destroyed by the fire(s).

Best wishes to all of the people who are affected.


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## stan_der_man (Oct 27, 2007)

Yesterday I returned to work, Mtmaiden and Junior went to Disneyland with a colleague of Mtmaiden's. They met some other people there who were also escaping the fires. This morning we were able to return home! I had to go back down the mountain to work, but the drive was easy as there wasn't much traffic. It's been a long day but I'm happy to be in familiar surroundings again.

I can't emphasize enough how much I appreciate all of your good thoughts towards us, and your thoughts to all of the other people who suffered from these fires. I wish I had the time to write all of you individually and thank you in a more personal way. I would like to post the last of my pictures from this frightening journey.

This first set of pictures are of my drive home (the new 210 fwy) and of the evacuee check-in at Wildwood Park in San Bernardino. KTLA Chanel 5 was the first station on the scene, and arguably had the most *ehem...* masculine of antennas. Also, a pic of some safety tip fliers that we received.


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Oct 27, 2007)

wow that is quite a big antenna, lol. how do they drive without catching wires and underpasses along their way?

I'm so pleased you are back home! It's very anxious knowing friends have been displaced.


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## stan_der_man (Oct 27, 2007)

Some more pics...

The first is another pic of the evacuee station, this is where we were issued entry papers (Crestline at the moment is limited to resident entry only...) The scariest thing to me in these situations, is how the authorities sometimes so quickly close off our town. We've been stranded a couple of times... I suppose it's necessary.

The second pic is of the Channel 7 Nitwitness News van... they came later, a reporter looked around and seemed to conclude either that this was already old news, or it just wasn't interesting enough to report anything.

Then there is a pic of me with my entry pass. In the next pic I tried to capture the colour of the sun in Redlands, a very strange but beautiful golden orange. The last picture is when I picked up Junior from daycare. She still wanted to wear her Disneyland hat.

Stan


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## stan_der_man (Oct 27, 2007)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> wow that is quite a big antenna, lol. how do they drive without catching wires and underpasses along their way?


I think when they see a hot lookin' news story, the van gets a big "stiffie" that only a news reporter could fully understand... 



BigBellySSBBW said:


> I'm so pleased you are back home! It's very anxious knowing friends have been displaced.


Thanks for the good thoughts. I thought of you guys when you were traveling, Mtmaiden and I also consider you friends.




Stan


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## daddyoh70 (Oct 27, 2007)

Glad to hear your home and everyone is safe.


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## EtobicokeFA (Oct 27, 2007)

I am glad that you guys are returning home, and I hope that everything turn out alright! I heard on the news that the fires left some people without a home to go back to!

All the best!


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## imfree (Oct 27, 2007)

WOW, Stan, I'm sure glad you and your loved ones are safely home!
Y'all have been in my thoughts and prayers a lot, these past few days. My
heart has really been blessed by your post, Stan.


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## imfree (Oct 27, 2007)

fa_man_stan said:


> I think when they see a hot lookin' news story, the van gets a big "stiffie" that only a news reporter could fully understand...
> 
> 
> Thanks for the good thoughts. I thought of you guys when you were traveling, Mtmaiden and I also consider you friends.
> ...



Sometimes the excitement and "stiffie" from a potentially hot news story
proves very dangerous. The news people need to be ever so careful at
all times!


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## Risible (Oct 27, 2007)

Hey Stan,

Glad to hear you all are at back home, and everything's safe and sound. It must be a hassle, but I'm glad to hear that checkpoints for residents were set up; you had mentioned looting, and I heard that looting was going on from another source as well.

Loved the pic of the sun; did you happen to see the full moon the other night? Actually early morning, maybe around 5:30 or 6 a.m.; it was a bright orange, shining through all the ash and bad air.

I can feel and smell moisture in the air this morning. My knees are aching; could it be that rain is in the forecast? Rain would be great to wash the accumulation of ash away. A nice, big rainstorm.


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## Tina (Oct 27, 2007)

Stan, I'm so glad you and your family are able to return home, and so happy that you have a home to return to.


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## stan_der_man (Oct 28, 2007)

Risible said:


> ...
> Loved the pic of the sun; did you happen to see the full moon the other night? Actually early morning, maybe around 5:30 or 6 a.m.; it was a bright orange, shining through all the ash and bad air.
> 
> I can feel and smell moisture in the air this morning. My knees are aching; could it be that rain is in the forecast? Rain would be great to wash the accumulation of ash away. A nice, big rainstorm.


Your knees were right Ris! It did rain today, we really needed it! I also tried to get a picture of the moon it was incredible, but our digital camera doesn't handle dark very well.



imfree said:


> Sometimes the excitement and "stiffie" from a potentially hot news story proves very dangerous. The news people need to be ever so careful at
> all times!


Thanks for the good thoughts Imfree I appreciate it. Somehow it doesn't suprise me that a channel 7 news van hit the power polls... 


Thanks for the thoughts Tina, I also wanted to mention that Missaf passed on your concerns when she called to see how we were doing.

Also thanks Daddyoh, EtobicokeFA! You are right EtobicokeFA, there were quite a few homes lost, but in some ways the damage wasn't quiet as bad as it appeared on the news.

Stan


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Oct 28, 2007)

Stan glad you're home and everyone is safe.


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## Jane (Oct 28, 2007)

Sandie_Zitkus said:


> Stan glad you're home and everyone is safe.



What Sandie said!!!!!


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## moore2me (Oct 28, 2007)

Fellow DIMMERS - I am relieved that you made it thru those awful wildfires okay. Fire is such a scary, unpredictable & ruthless force of nature. Combine that with the Santa Anna winds and you have the disaster that killed a handful of people last week and destroyed hundreds of homes and wrecked thousands of lives. But, I am thankful that you guys made it thru okay and hopefully, the worst is behind you. God & his angels were watching over you and your families. And thanks too for the people that gave of themselves to fight the fires and rescue people, pets, and homes.


Sandie S-R & Guy

Missaf

Risible

Babyface

Turquoise Tantrum

Jennygirl

Fa_Man_Stan & Mtmaiden & Junior

Chublover350

Gspoon
and any others I forgot to list.

Moore2me


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## Babyface (Oct 28, 2007)

Just a quick update from me now that everything appears to be under control.

I actually spent this week fretting about my home and loved ones from 3000 miles away. I was in Maryland, on the third week of my three-week business trip, and when I woke up Monday morning, it was to coverage of fires on CNN, in places that I KNEW were close to where our new house was in Poway. I immediately had as many web resources up and running as I could to track the fires, evacuations, and so on. However, I ALSO had to teach my class for the week, so I had my mind split into two places for those three most harrowing of the days.

My partners did end up leaving the house (which we've dubbed "The Hellmouth", long ago for non-fire-related reasons) on Monday afternoon, but not because of mandatory evacuation order -- for the sheer horrid air quality in our corner of Poway. They took refuge at the home of friends of ours... which, ironically enough, was where WE lived four years ago during the Cedar fire that swept through San Diego and devastated so many mountain communities as well as Scripps Ranch. Then, we had people who also evacuated just to be sure, instead of because they were instructed to, taking refuge with us -- so the circle comes around. 

As the evacuation areas advanced closer and closer, my fingernails got shorter and shorter. I knew my loved ones were OK, and there was nothing I could do, but still, I really didn't want to have to rebuild only three months after buying the house.

Thankfully, as the orders started to lift and the winds started to shift, we found that our neighborhood was never technically evacuated. Houses did burn to the ground a mere 6 miles away, but the only damage to our house was dirt, ash, and soot -- minor annoyances at most. It turns out that my partners had driven up into the hills to Ramona and towards Julian the Sunday that the Witch Creek fire started... and actually got pictures of it, not knowing that the very next day it would be bearing down towards our home. But by Wednesday night, they were back home, and I could breathe a sigh of relief...

Last night, we drove up to Riverside for a Halloween party, and could smell a touch of smoke in the air through Fallbrook... but coming home at about 430am, the smoke was MUCH thicker and heavier... we're not sure whether that was just wind direction, or if something changed with the fires in the North County overnight. Still, things were safe and sound when we got home early this morning. This afternoon, we drove up to Escondido and got glimpses along the way of the devastation around Lake Hodges, and the neighborhoods of Rancho Bernardo that were hardest hit close to I-15. It really was sobering, even those small looks into what had happened.

The plus side of this all is how quickly and selflessly the community has responded for the most part. Most evacuation centers had to post notices telling people NOT to bring in any more donations, as they really just couldn't take any more. I didn't see the evacuations firsthand, but I can't imagine a half-million people crowding the San Diego freeways trying to get places... and yet, there have been no reports of any altercations as people went for safety.

I'm so very glad to be home -- I arrived Friday night... on my flight in, actually, the plane went over a smoldering arm of the Harris Fire... the one that has done damage in the Southern part of San Diego county... it was eeriely close to I-8, but was clearly not the kind of wild conflagration that we'd been seeing on national news all week. Last evening, it even rained a tiny bit through our area, making things even better for the firefighters.

Thank you all for the good wishes and keeping us all down here in your thoughts. Now, keep those who have actually lost everything in your thoughts.


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## Friday (Oct 31, 2007)

I am so glad that it seems like all of you have made it safely back to your still standing homes. I'm so sorry for all those that lost theirs. Does anyone know if Red Cross or somebody has a donation system set up strictly for the California fire areas?


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## stan_der_man (Oct 31, 2007)

Babyface said:


> ...
> My partners did end up leaving the house (which we've dubbed "The Hellmouth", long ago for non-fire-related reasons) on Monday afternoon, but not because of mandatory evacuation order -- for the sheer horrid air quality in our corner of Poway.
> ...


I think that is by far the worse thing about fires... the smoke! The fire itself seems the most frightening and devastating, but ash and smoke can be something much more horrible. The best way to imagine it is like being a fish in a dirty fishbowl with no (or relatively little) escape.



Babyface said:


> The plus side of this all is how quickly and selflessly the community has responded for the most part. Most evacuation centers had to post notices telling people NOT to bring in any more donations, as they really just couldn't take any more.
> ...


Trying times always seem to bring out the best in Americans, the best in people in general from what I've seen. That is one of the things that often renews my faith in humanity.

I'm glad things worked out well for you Babyface and that you are safe and have a home to return to.



Friday said:


> I am so glad that it seems like all of you have made it safely back to your still standing homes. I'm so sorry for all those that lost theirs. Does anyone know if Red Cross or somebody has a donation system set up strictly for the California fire areas?



As for Redcross donations... from what I understand you can only donate to the Redcross in general and they allocate the donations to wherever it is needed. I don't think they take specifically directed donations. There might be some local charities that would only give supplies locally, but I don't know any off hand.


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