FIRE!

[Don Jordan]

This, of course, is nowhere near a topic but just wanted to share.

I have lived in California my whole life. My grandmother was in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.

I have never seen a tornado, hurricane, flash flood. I have been through some very minor earthquakes - things knocked to the floor.

From my back porch I can see the Angeles Forest on fire. It's just moving slowly down the hill. There is so much ash it looks like snow. There is so much smoke it blocked out the sun. It was still over 100°. What an incredible force of nature. There are 4 fires in Southern California. It really doesn't mean much until you see the flames and know that anything in its way will be devoured.

I've never seen a fire this close before. We drove to the top of a hill to look - I didn't take a camera, I didn't think it would take.

I sincerely feel for those consumed by natural calamities - we are so helpless.

I'm sorry - I don't mean to be maudlin. It was just quite a sight.

[Harvey Tank]

I know what you mean Don. living here in the pacific north west we see a lot of fires. it is awesome to be close up to a forest fire. they consume everything in its path.

stay safe!

[Tony Cipponeri]

Hey Don, You be safe, and keep a watch on that fire. Fire has got to be about one of the worst things out there, and it is way too close to you. Tony C

[Joe Flanagan]

Is your house in danger, Don? Keep us posted. It's all over the news back here in the East but you obviously have a front row seat. Good luck and be careful.

[Dennis Hemingway]

Don, keep it safe over there. When I went outside this morning I noticed that the smoke is thick over here today.

Dennis:(

[dezeldoc]

It was so bad here yesterday we had no sun the whole day just a yellow brown haze, and it was raining ash the the size of whole leaves and sometimes small twigs!! by 3:00 the ash was about 1" thick on the cars and the pool is a mess. looks to be blowing towards dennis's way today.

[TodFitch]

It was so bad here yesterday we had no sun the whole day just a yellow brown haze, and it was raining ash the the size of whole leaves and sometimes small twigs!! by 3:00 the ash was about 1" thick on the cars and the pool is a mess. looks to be blowing towards dennis's way today.

The still burning embers in the rain of ash really cause the fire to advance....

Learned too much about that stuff when we lived in Calabasas and had a couple of fires come very close to our house. Joined the "Arson Watch" group associated with the local sheriff's substation and spent some time doing fire spotting and recording of license numbers of cars coming out of fire areas.

Best of luck with the wind and weather! I hope you have the couple hundred feet of "defensible area" around your house that you should have in a fire zone.

[Normspeed]

I saw the fires on the news and my thoughts have been with you guys. When I lived in Glendora we had a fire come right over the nearest crest, at night. It was pretty eerie. Stay safe.

PS the morning news here, only 700 miles away, they were very brief on the fires, and only gave the location as "North of the Angeles National PARK".

[Don Jordan]

When I went off to college I could put every thing I owned in my 1950 Buick. When I was in the service I could put everything I owned in a sea bag. How the times have changed. We got a robo call at 1:00 this morning saying we were to evacuate. We are running around trying to figure what's important. The first thing I am going to do is hook the Plymouth to a tow bar behind the truck. My wife takes the SUV. I've got a 47 in the garage with the gas tank out - that breaks my heart. How do we accumulate so much junk? How do we prioritize the irreplaceable? I've never been in this situation before.

Also the school I teach at is in the Angeles Forest - I was on line and it seems they are being evacuated. For those far away it won't mean anything but those close both Big Tujunga and Little Tujunga have been closed down.

And I just got my Plymouth back yesterday. 7 years! Yesterday I got all the little things done. A hole in the carpet to get to the master cylinder. Missing stainless pieces. It's so beautiful. If I had more tow bars I'd take more cars.

thanks for your concern - it will be okay - as I write this a big water dropping tanker just flew over.

tootles

[Dennis Hemingway]

Good luck Don. Will say a prayer for you.

Dennis

[greg g]

God speed, hope everything stays safe.

[Tony Cipponeri]

Don, We will be praying for you, your family, the plymoyth and your house. Tony C

[Don Coatney]

Don;

May the wind not blow in your direction. Hope this hot storm is short lived and you have a home to return to.

[Niel Hoback]

Praying for you, Don.

[Dennis Hemingway]

I'm about 90 miles from Don and we have heavy smoke and ash in the air. Our son called and said that there is an advisory for ground-level smoke/ozone in effect tonight and Monday in Las Vegas because of the wildfires in Southern California..

Dennis:eek:

[Don Jordan]

Thank you for your prayers and concerns. The fire has passed my house but down the road I heard that 3 houses were lost. We also heard that 2 firemen were killed when their truck went off the road.

My heartfelt thanks goes out to the firemen. They risk their lives for the little people. Doesn't matter if your house is $1 million or $100 they do their best to protect property. What a great group of people.

Anyway the fire is still burning but I don't feel as threatened. Of course the wind could change and it's a whole new ball game.

Also watching the air planes going over the house. Prop planes and jets. I've got some pictures - not sure if that's interesting...

[Dennis Hemingway]

It's great to hear that you are allright, Stay safe.

Dennis:D

[Tony Cipponeri]

Yeah Boy, Great news. Are you able to go home yet? God bless the fireman. Tony C

[boxer_inv]

After the terrible bushfires in Victoria, Australia earlier this year where so many lost their lives, I think there is a lot of sympathy in OZ for what you people are facing over there at the moment. I'm just hoping that the supreme efforts of the firefighters are accompanied by lots of good luck where mother nature is concerned. Wild fires can be so devastating and sometimes the difference between losing nothing and everything can be a breath of wind at the right time.

Thoughts are with you and anyone still in harms way. If in doubt - get out.

Glad to hear the worst is over for you Don. Stay safe.

[blueskies]

Glad to hear you are out of imminent danger...

After the fire that nearly swept through Ketchum, Id last year, I have a much better appreciation for the work that the fire fighters do...

Pete

[Rodney Bullock]

Don, glad to hear the fire has passed you. It would be a shame to loose your home. I saw that our area was sending fire fighters out to help. I have a cousin that is a fire fighter and he is very good. I know things will be ok.

[dezeldoc]

Well the smoke and ash is back again! they are now saying this thing could burn for the next couple of weeks!

[Dennis Hemingway]

Here is a photo that our son sent us of the Smoke from the California wildfires in Las Vegas, on Monday.

Dennis:eek:

[47heaven]

Here is a photo that our son sent us of the Smoke from the California wildfires in Las Vegas, on Monday.

Dennis:eek:

Blah...choke, choke...cough, cough. Not a healthy site. Here's a video I found of a time-lapse of the fires burning. Now you can actually see how much smoke is pouring into the desert.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d5c_1251766392&p=1

[JIPJOBXX]

Boy that smoke looked just like our Mount Saint Helen when she blew her top 25 years ago. My mom had a house over in Kagel Cayon and I do not know if that area was hit by this fire storm. Good luck and dam it must smell down there with all that smoke.