Shelly, That is so funny. I lived in FH for awhile at one of my apartments. Did you live there too? Maybe I have seen you guys. I'm hoping too cause I do know the cold makes me numb but not in a good way.
Kmeb, I'm the worst with direction. I live I think on the east side of Ventura near Victoria Ave.
Yorkie I'm not sure about those animals but my mom told me some of the animals they thought they would not be able to get out they put to sleep so they would not suffer.It is so sad.
Melody from what I have watched there not sure the exact cause but probably a combo of everything. I may have heard and may be wrong too that there could of been a down power line as well. Hopefully in the future they can come up with a way to prevent this or from spreading. I will say the fire fighters are doing an amazing job and though it is sad the people who died I am suprised it wasn't more with the amount of area burned.
Sending many hugs!

Daniella, from the street you said and if you live in the city of Ventura - you are "over the hill" from the valley and on the way to Santa Barbara? Your weather is a bit cooler then here and air probably cleaner - but its nice up there.....

On the pets - the wild animals are on their own - you see them charging out of the hills... most shelters open for emergency/free boarding for those who have to evacuate - which is really nice of them.... even large animals, horses, etc... usually they set up areas, even school football fields, etc. to accomodate.....

On the fires themselves - I bascially grew up here - we have bad ones really every few years - and LA/San DIego is really all built in the hills - but as they continue to buid into the wilderness areas - more and more people are affected - and it gets so massive like now that they just cant keep up..... I loved the canyon I grew up in - quiet - private - beautiful - and if we had burned we would have rebuilt in the same place - but its a risk we take.. and again, so many new developments that its really one big massive city now for hundreds of miles - much of that hills covered with "chaperal" - which is mainstay of our vegetation, and unfortunatey a natural part of its regrowth is fire....

Dont say earthquake!

Yeah it is nice here but the prices in Ca are unreal. I had always heard that but never realized really how they are. I lived in a pretty expensive area in MI but nothing like this. Please stay safe.

I didn't realize that Wings (David) was in the same area. I am so sorry I missed this knowledge. We still are so worried about our little daughter-in-law. She is in the Temecula area there. Please know all our blessings, prayers and thoughts are with all of you. This is so hard and I am so worried

David, if you are out there, I'm thinking and praying for you.

Billye

Wow, I just watched some televised coverage. Oh my goodness. Such a tragedy. A woman with 3 little kids was showing the reporter what was left of her house. Nothing!! She just stood there.

And this happened to 500,000 people?? Where are these people going to go now?? Who will rebuild their homes???

My prayers are with all these poor souls in Southern California.

And then I read there will be mudslides??? Good grief.

For those of us 'outsiders', here is THE site about the fires to check:

http://www.fire.ca.gov:80/
It is a very topic specific and organized site. It also shows the available shelters and wether they were able to accept more people or not. These folks have their act together! It is impressive, the info they have.

I have to warn you tho, that you definitely have to know the 'lay of the 'land about who is where in relation to what'.. It is a big area and areas are defined by either old ranch areas or new 'neighborhood' names [I think]. Since I have and have had many friends in CA, I do worry for and about them. But getting it into my brain [I'm visual] is at times hard to grasp.

Melody, I have to tell you about 'fire retardants and foams'. I used to actually WORK [I was not a fire person] for a VFD and a pumper truck of FOAM costs $50K per truck. Not to mention as in sodas it has an expiration date? Fire retardants are very expensive, tho maybe not as much as foam-I do not know. But, I do understand that there can be 'ecological' concerns or repurcussions when they are used. So, in any fragile environment, such as are in areas of California, the benefits may not offset the side-effects. A lot of the fire departments in such 'suburbs' rely on donations for equipment [foam & trucks] training and supplies. That these folks have been working 24 hour days with 18 hour rest breaks is way beyond me. They deserve any and all respect we can give them.

Daniella, Kmeb, Shelley and David....I truly hope you and all are at least safe, better yet, not affected.

Had I not been to the West Coast ages ago [during a dry season] and actually seen how the land lays [lies?] could I grasp the issues you all face daily. From all I've read and have learned, the East Coast droughts of 10" below normal [about 1/3 less of normal] is peanuts compared to your what? A 2" for the year to date? Any your current NORMAL humidity of 2-8%? Gee I count myself lucky with anything under 50%. Granted I like it DRY? But honestly, not that much, thank you.

We do however live where we are. And we all make do. But for those with disabilities [mobility wise especially] this must be super scary and hard. It is surely hard enough without any impending weather/worldly threats!

Again.just check in to let all of us know you all are OK! That would help me sleep at nite. Good thoughts and pain free moments! - j

Does anyone on the west coast know if James Michener or another wrote a book about the Coast? That would certainly help others gain a grasp of the long term and short term 'evolutions' of the area. Onward!

Oh about the 'foam thing'? A big pumper truck full of foam is good for about ONE intersection car crash [where the leaking gas has or might catch on fire]...just an FYI

I've been using Google Earth to check the fire too. It even lets you see the smoke in some areas. It helps me because I have no north/south feeling. Never learned it as a child. Shelly, I just now learned you are out there too. I'm not sitting well so I'm missing some of you. But my heart and prayers are with you all.

Billye

I was thinking about Terri (SeamsLikeStitches) too. Does anyone know where she is living now? I know she is in California, but I can't remember where.

I feel for all of you, I hope the fires are out soon--God's speed.

Wow, Dahlek:

Thanks for all the useful information.

I never knew that that particular kind of foam could hurt the environment.

My goodness.

Some do some do not hurt the environment. The issue is overall, COST vs. Benefits. Either way it is a pretty penny... I mean if one's living on a small margin, can they afford to PAY $50 K to save their house? And who is to decide? Who gets or not? It is a local issue, not one the fed's should simply pay for...They bought in an area of known risk and probably pay huge home insurance premiiums...I bet we will see a 'repeat' of Katrina issues as to what is 'covered' or not.

I suspect that you Melody would not ever see FOAM used to put out a fire in NYC...Water is far cheaper and more available. From what I've read there is one fire in the San Diego Area that is two TIMES the size of all five New York Boroughs. That is just ONE fire.

As for Terri? [aka SLS] I believe that she is farther north, closer to San Francisco, but that could havae changed...I do not know, but I wish that she would...well, umm? Check in.

I hope all of you out on the West Coast. I remember during a prior board 'life' we did keep track [or try to] of folks who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. [As I said....I have tried to figure out where folks live and where those who we care about simply ARE?] I care, and I worry and I would sleep easier to know you are as whole as you can be, given the circumstances.
I promise, I will NOT SAY PEEP ONE IF we get a whopper blizzard this year?

Hugs to all---truly! 's - j