California Wildfires Again

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:10 pm

Don't know how wide spread the news is on this topic, but, southern California is up in flames again. It apparently started up in the Malibu area and has been traveling down to San Diego county where I'm located. From the sounds of it, we are just surrounded by fire. I know Big Steve is out here also, hope he is okay. This is just horrible.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... k&refer=us

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:49 pm

I was watching some of the CNN coverage just a bit earlier and wondered about you, Susan - and since you mention it, Steve too! You folks keep safe as you can.

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:33 pm

I just saw it on the news.........How absolutly horrible!!! Sending thoughts and prayers out your way, I hope it's no where near where you are, Susan and Steve!!!!

twinsrwe · Post by **twinsrwe** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:53 am

I am also watching of the CNN coverage - this is unspeakably horrible!!! Susan, you stay safe - I hope Steve is also safe and out of harms way.

I found the following link, which was updated 20 minutes ago: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21405632/

BTW: I just submitted a quick PM to Steve, regarding these fires - hopefully he is OK, and will let us know how is he doing.

1bigsteve · Post by **1bigsteve** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:32 am

I'm doing OK. Thank you guys for thinking of me. That is very thoughtful of you all!

The fire is too far south of me. I feel bad for those people in that area. I hope they have the good sense to leave rather than fight it. Homes can be rebuilt. I keep enough supplies and tools (including hatchets

) in my truck and car that would help me survive in the wild forever if I had to. So if a fire came my way I would just grab my keys and go. Nothing in my house is worth the time grabbing. I keep both vehicles gassed up all the time just in case some disaster hits.

It pays to be prepared.

-1bigsteve (o:

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:28 am

Thanks for checking in, Steve, I'm glad to hear that you're out of the danger zone! I'm not so lucky at the moment, we are completely surround by fire, its pretty scary. They keep showing a map of us with the surrounding areas that are burning and the areas that they are evacuating.

Thanks, gang, for the good thoughts. So far, so good. I'm a bit jumpy and waiting to hear news that we have to leave, but, until then I'm sitting tight and dealing with it all.

twinsrwe · Post by **twinsrwe** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:55 am

Steve, thank you for letting us know that you are OK.

Susan, I can't image being in such a horrible situation as to be completely surround by fire. I hope if you do have to evacuate that you will be safe. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

SteveS. · Post by **SteveS.** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:46 am

Glad to hear that you are ok Steve. Susan I will be keeping you and all the others in my prayers. I work as a Directory Assistance Oerator and I was amazed and upset at the same time at the terror in the voices of all the calls I received tonight from people in San Bernadino wantingthe number to the local fire department to see if they need to be evacuating because they could smell smoke and see fire all around them. My heart went out to them because it must be a very helpless feeling to be in such a situation.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:27 am

Not to mention the horrible smell and the sickening air quality. That smoke is dangerous- it could take time just to recover from that!
Good luck you guys!
Take care!

Nadzieja · Post by **Nadzieja** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:16 am

Susan & Steve, My thoughts & prayers are with you. To have your life so disrupted, just to be able to smell the smoke must be frighting. Be careful & if possible please keep us updated on the situation.

Bobbypoz · Post by **Bobbypoz** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 1:37 pm

Thoughts and prayers are with you all down in Southern CA.

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:32 am

Thanks for all the good thoughts, guys! I dealt with my hysterical mom last night, she tried to call my brother and I and the phone lines were said to all be busy. She finally got ahold of me on my cell phone and was completely panicked. I told her we were both fine and would keep her posted if anything came up.

Today I went back to work, sort of, I went to my bosses house so that we could work on a presentation together. My boss believes our business will be open again this Friday as the winds have changed and are blowing to the east.

I'll tell you, its been pretty eerie, the sun at midmorning appears to be like the sun when it first rises due to the haze in the air. Ash is falling from the sky, my car was just coated with it, it almost looks like snow. And there still is the smell of burning in the air, the worst of it is the smell of burned plastics, it is really toxic.

It seems as though our area will be spared the fires which is a wonderful blessing! I passed by Qualcom stadium today where the evacuees are staying, I feel for those poor people so much. Some have definitely lost their homes whereas others have no idea what to expect when they are allowed to go back. I was actually thinking of volunteering at the stadium if I was going to be off work all week, though that doesn't appear to be the case now.

Tina-Kate · Post by **Tina-Kate** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:17 pm

Glad to hear that you're relatively OK, Susan.

That's the problem with the forum; if you didn't post, we wouldn't know!

twinsrwe · Post by **twinsrwe** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:01 pm

Susan, thank you for letting us know that you are OK, although it sounds like there is going to be a long and tedious clean-up from the ash and all.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21466781/

Smudgeman · Post by **Smudgeman** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:29 pm

I have seen the news coverage on this every night, it is horrible. Glad you are okay Susan, we are in a drought as well here in Georgia, no fires yet, but we are almost out of water!

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:43 am

Thanks, it really helps knowing that there are people pulling for you out there!

Life has started back to normal for me this week, thankfully everyone I know and love out here have been spared. Yes, there is the clean-up and the homeless people now that the holidays are about to begin that are in my thoughts. And the drought conditions still exist here.

I did hear so many heartwarming stories of peoples selfless acts to help out the evacuees, donations of food and water, even a friend of a friend who donated some astronomical amount of pizzas from her shops a couple days in a row. It never ceases to amaze and delight me that when the chips are down, there are people who come through like this.

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:58 pm

Yes, I agree Susan, but the news is so quick to play up the wickedness of people and it's everyday. It is good to hear that there's still good and caring people out there!! God Bless them!!