To Those in So Cal
 

I've had several messges already from folks around the country - just sending out good vibes to all my neighbors here right now - as many of you have probably heard - we're under severe heat and wind - which equals fires... I hope all of you are safe - and continue to stay so through this (supposed to last at least until Wednesday).... and special thanks to our firefighters - these guys are amazing...,.

Take care all...

Hi. Where are you in Ca? I live in Ventura and the winds and smell of smoke is unreal. I just moved from Mi so am not familiar with this. Your right about the fire fighters. They are such caring people and how they will risk there lives to help others. I'm sending out my wishes and prayers for them and all the people that are near or have loved ones near too.

Daniella
 

Hi - I'm in the foothills just north of LA - but grew up in the hills here - while the fires are unfortunately part of living here - they are truly devestating.... and when those Santa Ana's blow - we all just get real nervous I think - fires or not from past experience....

I remember standing in front of our home more then a few times growing up watching the fire closing in on it - and the firemen doing everything they could save it - and they always did... but watched many many of our neigbors loose theirs.... really helps you set your priorites.....

To kmeb:

Hi, I don't know anything about California. Is Bakersfield near Southern California? Thanks, Melody

Kmeb and Daniella?
 

I truly hope that this disaster misses you both totally!

I hope as well that you have an alternative safe place to go.

My good thoughts are with you both and all others in Southern California.


take care please - j

Hoping and praying
 

Lots of prayers to all of you in the fire area. I'm hoping and praying for you all.:hug:

My son's home is in the area north of San Diego and he has been trying desperately to sell it as his new company's financing of his living quarters here has now run out. We are having to help him at this point. We wanted him to be able to sell the home,... not see it burn down.:eek: And this is two of our son's we're now having to help support. And on top of all of this, the neuropathy pain, arthritis, dryness is all worse. I seem to be in a decline. I tried to increase the Lyrica yesterday but the dryness forced me to say I can't take any more of it. Not sure what I will do at this point. It's two weeks until I get the next bloodwork.

I sure hope it rains on you all in that area. Didn't mean to complain of all my aches. Good luck to all of you.

Billye

Billye:

You need a hug too.

:hug:

Hi guys,

I am in Santa Monica, not too far from Malibu but not directly affected by the fires. Although last night when the wind changed I could smell the fires through the open window.

Its a dangerous thing when the Santa Ana's blow. Glod Bless the firemen and policemen that keep us safe.

Daniella where are you from in Michigan?

Stuff
 

Hi - still here - I'm lucky I'm in an area right now that havent had to evacuate - two family members though - both north and south - have been told to leave their homes....

Melody - Bakersfield is over a large range of mountains and and out in the desert - so not close by...

Billye - hope your son's home is ok - thats where one of my Fam is and its tough down there right now - sending good thoughts.... your health doesnt need more stress...

Thanks Dahlek!

Shelley - no going to Gladstones for a few days!

Hang in all....

Hi. It is so sad so many have been effected. Shelly I'm from West Bloomfield MI but moved to Ventura for right now the winter to see how the weather effects my pain cause I go numb in the cold. Silverlady I'm sorry for your added pain. I couldn't tolerate Lyrica either but I hope you find what works. Be safe all and I hope you families and friends too. Many hugs

Just hope
 

that all of you sort of 'check in' if you can..

Sure looks totally awful on the news! - j

Bumping
 

While this is 'off topic' it is important to any sort of 'sense of community!'-j

Cant speak for anyone else
 

but its very eerie here - there is an incredible amount of devesation spread over a wide area - and the color of the light from the sun is different from the ashes -

they say another day - winds supposeded to let up - then so cal will get back to rebuilding as we always do i guess until it happens again....

hope everyone else out there ok....

Kmeb I know you said your in the foothills but I have no clue what that meant. How many miles are you? It is so sad and I just hope no more lives are taken. Hopefully this will end soon and people get help with rebuilding and shelter in the meantime.

I am so sorry about this terrible devastation. I cannot imagine the depth of involvement and can only hope that you all get a big rainstorm... The pictures from news coverage resembles a nightmare that I have only seen equaled in movies...

California, along with other warm parts of our country, are where many exotic birds (parrots and others) are raised, mostly in outdoor areas. Their respiratory sacs are extremely sensitive to smoke, teflon fumes, fumes from chemical treatments, etc., and they die quickly sometimes from exposure. The large numbers raised there would be pretty hard to evacuate. I was wondering how they were faring along with places like zoos...

I do not mean this to take away from what should be first in people's minds, that being human lives which could be endangered.

Cathie

Daniella
 

Hi - I'm in Glendale - just over the hill from downtown LA proper and on the way up into the mountains.... from where you are at the far east end of the "valley"...... are you over the hill into Ventura or on the valley side?

Hi guys,

Gosh this morning the smell was just awful, burnt everything.

And tonight they say the humidity is down to 3%, its like an oven out there.

I did see a little blue sky today so the winds but be blowing west.

Daniella, my hubby is from Farmington Hills. I hope our weather (outside of the fires) helps you.

KMEB...:( no Gladstones. I sure hope and pray they get the fires contained soon.

God Bless

Shelley:

Why are there so many fires?? I mean 500,000 had to be evacuated. All this is on the front page of my local newspaper. My son lives in California but thankfully not near the fires.

Is it because Southern California hasn't had that much rain???

And there's one thing I don't understand. I watched a news special on ABC last night and they are spraying homes with some kind of foam (to prevent them from burning up). I think this is a very good move, but my question is this.

This is 2007. You mean to tell me, they can't have lots of jumbo jets flying over these fires and spraying another type of foam that will instantly put out the fires.

I mean, we put a man on the moon all those years ago, but we send firemen into the deepest fires which are raging out of control, they have pick axes and they are putting sand over the fires (I watched this on tv). I kept saying "my god, we have space shuttles, and technology to see each other on webcams and no one came up with the idea of having planes dropping tons of special kind of foam or gel or SOMETHING, that will put out these fires.

I wish someone would explain this to me.

Thanks, Melody

we are following this on TV...
 

This is just beyond my imagining...the scale/scope.

I do wish everyone there a quick resolution to the winds and fire.

How precarious life is... we should all be thankful for each safe day!

Hi Mel,

Gosh thats such a hard question to answer. Part of it is the arsonists, these sick people that get pleasure out of setting these fires. I think they have arrested atleast two different people that set fires. And when the firefighters and resources are deployed the other arsonists I guess want attention too and set more. Its sickening.

I do know that the planes were not able to fly for atleast one day and that really hurt things. Once those Santa Ana winds start blowing off the desert its fierce. On MOnday the winds were up to 90 mph in some of the fire zones and then they just cant safely put the planes in the air. And with the winds the fires just go out of control.

And thos Santa Ana winds caused atleast the Malibu fire by blowing down the power lines in the canyons.

I'll be honest, coming from the east coast where there is more distinct weather when I first moved here I was like right a little wind??? Whatever. NOtnow. When the Santa Ana's blow it either means fires or earthquakes.

It has been so dry out here. Everything is just fuel for those fires. And people have to be responsible and clear the area around their homes otherwise its devastating.

It was sad last night. Dont know if what you were watching was NIghtline or not but they had a guy on that was so angry at the firefighters that his house was burning. Its not their fault. He chose to live in a very dangerous canyon, one way in one way out. There was nothing they could do to save those homes.

ANd once the rain comes since all the tress and vegetation are gone, the mudslides will create more havoc.

Sometimes I think Mother Nature is just reminding us of our place on this planet and how we should do better.

I agree with you though I just wish that they could invent something to put it out quickly. God Bless all those fighting the fires and everyone affected.

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!

Stuff
 

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.

Didn't know
 

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.

Hope everyone is OK?
 

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

Another site
 

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.:hug:

Wow, Dahlek:

Thanks for all the useful information.

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

My goodness.

About foams?
 

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! :hug:'s - j

Great web sites
 

Never seen such organized information on the fires, thanks guys - very helpful for all...

Really seems to be quieting down out here thank goodness - now we just have to hope to have time to "seed" the hills and get netting laid before rains hit to avoid mudslides etc... last year we had no rain -but year before it never stopped - so we'll see what happens....

I think Seams Like Stiches is farther North towards Central Calif. - San Diego really got hit the worst... hope Wings is ok... and Billye, your relative, I think my relatives down there were offcially allowed to return home too....

Oh - just in general for us who have mobility issues - for any disaster - we've had suspected fires in my building etc. middle of the night and I cant get out because you never get in an elevator during an earthquake or fire - and I have to use the wheelchair to get outside --- dont ever hesitate to call 911 if you are in any type of situation where you need help getting out of a buidling or area - the emergency response teams are great and even one night helped me capture my cat who had no intention of getting in his carrier.... we have to take care of ourselves cause often people are so panicked they are not thinking and just RUN and forget about others....


Take care all....

Dahlek:

Oh my god, I just read what you posted about the one fire being the size of 5 boros in NYC. My god, I had no idea.

See, we have something called a Johnny Pump (at least that's what we called them years ago), The actual name is a fire hydrant. At least 4 on every block.

When the people who lived upstairs from me, (this happened about 7 years ago), the girl upstairs was frying french fries on the stove. All of a sudden, we hear screaming from upstairs, I look out my kitchen window and their's smoke coming from outside of the upstairs window. I rush upstairs and I saw the whole kitchen on fire. I had never been so close to fire before. It's like a living breathing entity. All of a sudden, the firemen show up, we were evacuated, and they brought the hoses in and wetted everything down. All the water went downstairs into my apartment and all my stuff got ruined and I couldn't use my stove for 5 days until it all dried out. I mean, who cares, it was just an inconvenience, compared to what the people are living through in Southern California right now. But I shudder to think what might have happened if we didn't have all these fire hydrants on every block.

But I will never forget standing in the kitchen watching the fire grow and sleek up the kitchen cabinets up until the ceiling. It moved so fast, I couldn't believe it. I was transfixed. The fireman had to yell at me to 'get out of here".

jeez.

Melody

Just saying hi and seding hugs to all. I hope everyone who does live in the area even if don't post a lot will check in. I hope this disaster ends soon. At least the winds are calming down and it should be getting cooler. Will have to do a rain dance.

I do hope that if any of our people here on this forum suffer from this fire, that they will let us know if there is anything we can do. Being from Atlanta, I know a lot of people who travel to the Gulf Coast to help with rebuilding from Katrina. Many areas are still struggling to recover.

Well, this stuff kind of gets OLD?
 

But I am sure the nightmare is real for all of you there!

Please keep checking in when you can and let us all know you are OK? - j