SoCal in flames

[OperaTenor]

I'm sure everyone in the US has heard we're burning up down here. I'd like to send thoughts and prayers of support to those who have suffered loss in this tragedy. There are some I personally would like to hear from and make sure they're all right. Donna(dkm32) for one, as she lives in Valley Center, where one of the big fires started. It looks like we're in for another dry, hot and windy day, so the firefighters will once again have their hands full. Prayers and wishes for them, too.

<small>[ 10-27-2003, 12:10 PM: Message edited by: operatenor ]</small>

[BenODen]

Glad to hear you're not effected too badly yet, OT! They mentionned Escondido on the news this morning, so I thought maybe you were getting hit too!

Fires can be quite a trial for all involved, my prayers go out to all you guys out there.

-Benito

[barfle]

Although I've mentioned a few times that I'd trade the winters here for a good Santa Ana wind, I also know that the fires they fan are often devastating.

Nobody I know directly has ever suffered any actual loss from a brush fire in SoCal, but I do recall one time when I was reluctant to go to work because of the proximity of the fire to my house. I'm really glad I got rid of that cedar shake roof!

Best wishes to Selma, OT, and Donna. From what I have heard, the fires are threatening their general areas, and I know all too well how quickly they can move from the "general area" to next door.

[Valerie]

yeah - i sent out some emails to my friends this morning - haven't heard anything

glad you're ok OT - please keep in touch - i know that one of my friends was evacuated - down by san diego - don't know about her house

this is not good

[dai bread]

Commiserations to one & all in SoCal. Whenever disaster strikes, Americans are always ready to help out, but they never ask for help themselves. Not that there's much I or we can do except offer condolences.

Our Aussie neighbours burn regularly every summer, and it seems the U.S. does too. Quite large tracts of it at times, right up to Montana. We sent some firemen to help out there.

It's been a long time since we had a big bushfire here. Our climate is fairly wet for the most part. There are one or 2 dry places though, and their local councils are very alert with fire bans etc. So are the forest owners.

[bignaf]

prayers for all.
on a side note, that should teach you not to gloat over our suffering from the weather in New England. (maybe it's too harsh a lesson though).

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

We were evacuated, went to friends in Oceanside. When the fire came south through Mission Trails park, it was just through a residential neighborhood, across a road, down a hill, and across the (low damp flat place pretending to be a river) San Diego River.

Got back into the house late yesterday. Stanley Steemer, and every other carpet and furniture cleaning service, are going to make a lot of money in the next couple of months. There's a half inch of ash everywhere outside, and it's tracked in on the carpets. I'm planning to schedule them for a couple of weeks from now, after the ash finishes falling.

The air is blue. Everything stinks. I can't see, my childhood asthma has re-emerged, and I don't sleep well because the smoke smell triggers nightmares. This makes me completely normal for Southern California.

Has anybody heard from Donna? Valley Center was hit hard, and many of the folks ended up at the racetrack or polo grounds with their horses and little else.

It's going to take us all a while to go back to what passes for normal around here.

Smokily,

Selma

[treebeau]

Well, I for one am glad you're safe and relatively sound.

Regards,
Tim B.

[Marye]

Me too.... The photos of this fire are just too frightening. Good to know you are safe Selma..

Any news of OT? and Piq are you alright? If anyone hears from Donna would you let us know please?

[OperaTenor]

Originally posted by bignaf:
on a side note, that should teach you not to gloat over our suffering from the weather in New England.

Hey, Big, I guess that barbeque comment I made last winter really got to you, didn't it?

Anyone for fresh roasted jackrabbit or coyote?

[BenODen]

Hi Selma!

Sounds very icky around there, but at least your house made it through. How close did the fire get to your house? That's a lot of ash! Hang in there! I hope it gets back to normal sooner rather than later.

-Benito

[piqaboo]

Marye,
thanks for asking. All is well at my place.

[lliam]

Please remember and keep in your prayers our California brothers and sisters whose lives have been affected by this latest natural disaster, and those who are providing assistance and recovery.

In Christ,
Gil Furst

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Dude, this was not a natural disaster.

A stupid hunter with a lost buddy and a signal flare are being blamed for one fire. They've arrested the guy and I think I heard criminal negligence and manslaughter mentioned.

The San Bernardino fire seems to have an arson origin. If they identify this individual, murder two is the intended charge.

While not rejecting prayers for recovery from this mess, I'm thinking we need some chlorine for the gene pool more.

I may have been through a few too many fires. I get quite hostile towards arsonists and dimwits with matches.

Selma

[lliam]

Sorry Selma, please forgive my ignorance.

[OperaTenor]

Now, Selma, put the quilting needles down. Put them down. Now. Or no more quilter's quarters for you...

There, that's a good girl. Take a few deep breaths...uh, maybe not, with the air quality we currently have here. Speaking of which, according to the CA Air Resources Board, San Diego county air quality: inland, hazardous, coastal is merely severe. The shift to the onshore flow(i.e., cooler, moister air) is supposed to take place over the next 36 hours. The meteorologists are speculating possible drizzles around Fri(ha ha).

[piqaboo]

The on-shore flow, with a detectable dampness, has started at my place - Hooray!

Sunday, the Santa Ana and fire-created winds beat the ocean to a pulp - keeping the wind moving southwest all day. Monday, the ocean and the fire fought to a standstill at my place, giving me dry deadstill air all day. At 3 today, the wind came up from the ocean and headed east, as it should at this time of day.
Every little bit helps, tho this moist air wont reach far enough east to help with the fires now.

<small>[ 11-17-2003, 10:10 AM: Message edited by: piqaboo ]</small>

[Serenity]

I heard the fires were set as a Davis Conspiracy to get back at Arnold. Luckily , OT's FRS has become quite popular this fire season!

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Yea, sea breeze. Even if it does smell ashy, I can feel moisture in the air.

Woke up in another panic attack. Gonna spray more vanilla air freshener and take more Benedryl.

I like the Davis Conspiracy idea. It sounds fun and interesting and intriguing. Unfortunately, the man is not an effective enough politician to arrange a parakeet stampede , much less a set of firestorms, so it won't fly, but it's a entertaining thought.

This bites. I gotta get some sleep. Baileys and Benedryl, here I come.

Selma

[annettehala]

Still haven't heard from our friends in Rancho Cucamonga. I've looked all over the internet to see if they were alright. I don't think their house could have burned. My other friend has a house in Chula Vista. From what I've seen online I don't think it's burned either.