Fires....everyone still OK?

[CRASH]

Richard, is your dad's place OK?

How about you SD folks, smokey I'm sure, but everyone getting out of the way?

CRASH

[David Taylor]

It came within 200 yards of my work on Sunday. Didn't make it over the freeway by us. It did jump just down the road about 1/4
mile. It's really smokey in the building today.

[imma honky]

My mom said its some of them are close to my aunts/cousins..... havent talked to them yet though...hope they are ok.

[seanR]

I watched the cbs2 news last night on the dish and thought about some of y'all. That is some crazy sh!t!! :eek: I can't imagine what it is like to be like to live through that. Our thoughts and prayers are with you So. Cal. guys for sure.

[rpili2001]

I'm doing real good in Carlsbad.. ..

My work is near Dave's work (Balboa and 163 between the 15 and 163 near Montgomery Field) and we're told to stay home Monday and Today.

Went surfing Monday and plan to today. I'm lucky but a lot of others inland will be starting from scratch. I just hope they have insurance.

I'm not an insurance agent but once a year After Christmas I video tape out house inside and out going over every item - name, brand, special features etc. Do the same with our cars.

Takes about 2 hour to do then keep a copy in our safe and one at work.

We had our neighbors house burn down in a Santa Ana and we had wood shingle roofs. They were all OK but they lost everything. They came over from South Vietnam in the 70's and all they have to remember thier parents and family were the pictures. The things they missed the most were pictures of their parents, baby kids pictures, yearbooks, family video tapes. so plan accordingly.

Also heard communications with some people has been a problem, good time to get your Ham license. Lots of them are helping with communications across the county.

Ray

[CharlesS]

Our neighborhood has been ON ALERT since yesterday and the smoke has increased SO MUCH that your eyes burn just being outside. The skies where I live are SO smokey that the sun is blood red and you cant see more than a 1/4 mile in any direction.
At work we watched the fires crest and come over the hill in Poway and the SDCFD has predicted that the fires will jump I-15 at Deer Springs Rd. That will affect Valley Center and the surrounding areas.
Not looking too good !!

[Scott Mac.]

Charles, hows the Ramona area doing? I've got a couple of cousins that live in town.

[CharlesS]

Scott,

Ramona is a MESS !!!! There are areas that are devastated and other areas that have gotten off lightly.
Presently the fire has regaining strength in the outer areas. One of the fires has a front of over 45 miles.
My area is ON ALERT and has been since early yesterday. Not sure when we will be asked to evacuate.
This morning (early AM) the smoke was so bad that when you turn on the patio lights you can see the light beams in the smoke. Right now the sun is blood red and you can't see past a 1/4 mile. The air quality is so bad where I work that everyone was sent home.
Times like this you find out who your friends are and are not !!!

Give me a call on my cell: 858 349-9919 if I can help with your relatives.

[Jes]

Damn, you guys hang in there. :(
I assume it's hot as hell down there too? It's still in the 90s here in S.F.

Jes

[5-90]

I guess I should watch the news more (but I find it mostly depressing anyhow, and I get my information from non-mass-media sources...)

Do they have any idea what started all this? Is it as bad as the Oakland Hills fires in 1991? I was right in the middle of those, so it gives a frame of reference...

Hopefully, the pavement won't catch down there!

Good luck and God bless.

5-90

[Scott Mac.]

Thanks Charles, I'm getting their answering machine when I try to call so I know their house is still standing.

[GSequoia]

It's not as bad as the '91 fires up your way, but it's second I believe, as of about 2:00p the count was 1500 homes (not structures, homes :(). There are several fires, some of which have merged. Some of them were arson :mad:, some carelessness, some unknown. The Santa Ana winds are really pushing them on.

Perspective:

At home in Redondo (over 40 miles from the closest fire) on Sunday the air was smokey (by smell and sight), the sun was a very sickly golden from smoke, and my XJ was covered in ash.

Today in downtown L.A. the air sucks, there's ash, and the sun is that sickly gold.

Hope everybody gets out of this good.

Sequoia

[Kejtar]

well.... this is what I saw from my work parking lot yesterday... it's the Simi Valley fire
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=te2xbqn.77o7g34f&x=0&y=-csk3rv

[Renegade Jpr]

The fires were burning down house about 4 blocks from my uncles house on Sat. night....scary stuff they almost had to evacuate them out of there. I talked with him after words and he said he had his Jeep, D44, Ford 9", and lift kit already on the trailer hooked up to the tow rig ready to go, there was no way it was taking his Jeep or axles...lol He's a true Jeeper! :D

[Scott Mac.]

I just heard from my dad who talked to my uncle in Ramona. The fire went south of town but my cousins best friend lost his house.

[GRNT]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CharlesS
[B]Scott,

Times like this you find out who your friends are and are not !!!

Amazing thing friendship. Shouldn't take it for granted and certaily shouldn't give it up so easily either. Right Charles?

GRNT

[Bent]

I Live and work in Redlands, .75 mi off of hwy 38. From where I'm at, I can go 6mi. within a 80* arc and roast marshmellows. I have seen the flames and smoke work from Cajon pass and is now nearing Running springs. Anyone hear from mgolden? thats where he lives. Manditory evac now for there, Big Bear,Barton flats, Seven Oaks, Angelus Oaks,Forest Falls and Mtn. Home Village.I've heard rumor that volentary evac for Greenspot( upper Mentone ) The schools here are going to be closed here tomarrow. It appears that the fire has gotten up into the canopy. That coupled with 20% (IMO ) of the trees being dead due to the bark beetle. I would say that the % is higher as you go west towards Crestline(towards Cajon pass). You can't really trust the tv news too much. They are trying to give accurate info, they get their locations a little mixed up.
I heard a report of looting in San Bernardino, but with the entire Mountain area evacuated, I sure more of the scumbags will crawl out from the ashes:mad:
My enpathy for the residents is frustrating. There are many vacation homes up there, but this is going to really, really be rough on the regular Joe's.

Please keep the prayers coming! :angel:

Tim B

[GSequoia]

Tim! I've been wondering about you! Glad you're okay.

Mike Golden is okay, he reported in :).

Sequoia

[nitrogt101]

T Bent you are right, you can not tust the news. My dad is fighting the fire in Piru now, and possibly tonight or tomorrow he will go to San Diego. He says the news is all wrong.

In Ventura County the smoke and ash is horrible, but I'm sure it's worse closer to the fires. We haven't seen blue sky in Camarillo for 3 days, all we get is the red sun and falling ash. My xj(white) was covered in ash, so I washed it today. That stuff sticks to paint pretty good after a few days:( .

:angel: May all our prayers be with the firefighters and the families who's homes are threatened.:angel:

[Xtreme XJ]

Has anyone heard from Stevens ? I believe he has a place up there....
I've got a co worker who has a place in Big Bear, fortunately not much in the way of valuables or momentos so thats a good thing.
Someone needs to find the BASTARDS ! who started this....
Be safe....
Curt (aka Xtreme XJ)

[Kejtar]

Originally posted by Xtreme XJ
Has anyone heard from Stevens ? I believe he has a place up there....


Haven't heard from Ed recently, but AFAIK he only has a cabin up there and he lives in Long Beach.

[Scott Mac.]

He just posted on the Land Use board early this morning. Or late last night on the westcoast.

[Kejtar]

I just realized something though... he keeps his trailrig in Big Bear :(

[Ed A. Stevens]

We are fine, in Long Beach.

The trail rig XJ is in Big Bear City, and the fire will need to run around the lake to get there, so it should be safe.

The insurance is paid up :eek:

[Fred]

Those pictures were ugly and unsettling. They reminded me of last summer and the Hayman fire. It got no closer than 20 miles from here, but the air was as thick as Charles describes.

Good luck folks, and be smart. Fire is hard to outrun.
Charles and Mil, you got to hang on until I can make it to another event! :)

Fred

[Xtreme XJ]

Ed
We could slip in under cover of night (and smoke) the back way through Pie. Town or up another unknown cyn. grab anything important, set up a perimiter of sprinklers (leave'm on) & head back down.....
Ain't nothing like a run in adverse conditions.......
I hope things work out.....
See Ya !
Curt (aka Xtreme XJ)

[GSequoia]

Curt, you'd have to paint the XJ some other color, that white would just be too blazing!

[Xtreme XJ]

Hey I just thought of something... My Ex stepfather did some GPSing for the BLM about 10 yrs. ago & he never gave the triangle BLM door magnet back.... think my XJ would pass for a BLM unit? Ed ! Lets roll !
See Ya !
Curt (aka Xtreme XJ)

[poomba]

Utah has sent fire crews w/equip to help out. Only in America, would we tell firefighters they can't fight a fire until the paperwork is done, though. Hopefully, that didn't delay 'em too long. Regulations..go figure.. and I won't start on the regulations preventing dead trees from being thinned..
I agree with other posts, though..anyone setting a fire during the hot winds like that...deserves a permanent lesson.

[Jump This]

We finally got power back this morning. Couldn't even use cell phones for a while. Borrego is the evac. center for the Julian and Paradise fires and we are full. Loaned out my motor home to a family...glad I could help at least a little.
Can't get out of town yet....all roads heading west are closed.
Smoke not too bad this morning.....
No school yet.....
This is the strangest feeling to have....not able to do a damn thing to help outside the valley.....
no more fires.....please.....
Rick

[Rev Den]

If you all have not yet said a prayer for those affected...do it now. Right now!! Do not wait, STOP READING AND DO IT!!

Dennis

Being serious here..for once.

[CRASH]

If you all have not yet said a prayer for those affected...do it now.

Trust me, if I thought that would help, I'd do it.

CRASH

[Bent]

Originally posted by Rev Den
If you all have not yet said a prayer for those affected...do it now. Right now!! Do not wait, STOP READING AND DO IT!!

Dennis

Being serious here..for once.

Rev, you are right on the money. There is a slight chance for rain in the next couple of days, but mostly for the coastal areas. It would be great to pray it inland, and enough to put everything out.

Like Rick stated, it is soooo frustrating having all this all around us here and either not being able to help, or not knowing how to help the so many in need.:confused:

Tim B

edit: schools here are closed til monday, so many of the teachers, admins and students have been affected by the evacuations.

[Rev Den]

Originally posted by CRASH
Trust me, if I thought that would help, I'd do it.

CRASH


It could'nt hurt.


D-

[CRASH]

It could'nt hurt.

OK, I'll get Loopy Lupine to do it. I thik she's into that sort of thing.

CRASH

[Kejtar]

Originally posted by CRASH
Proud Member, West Coast Gettin' It Crew..........winners of the 2003 Cherokee Challenge.

Crash... Great Sig :D Too bad that the CO folks don't have a forum for you to go and post in :D

[Lupine]

Crash, my dear;

Why the heck do you think you're still alive? It ain't skill, I'll tell you that much. :angel:

[Goatman]

Originally posted by Lupine
Crash, my dear;

Why the heck do you think you're still alive? It ain't skill, I'll tell you that much. :angel:

Well said, my dear. :)

I firmly believe that the fact that most of us live to be 18 years old is absolute proof that there are guardian angels. In CRASH's case, that's he's still around now. ;)

[mikeyl]

finally clearing up here in poway/scrips. watched the fires burn into poway here but i was 2 ridges from my place so i was lucky. yesterday went with a freind who had his place go up in scripps to help him digg thru the rubble. he got his yota wheeler out but lost his car and cycle along with all his wood working stuff as well as most of the house. down the street from him was just cement pads with chimineies sticking up. hurt like heck to see. prayers to all here with realtives and themselves in all the fire areas.

[Ed A. Stevens]

Originally posted by Rev Den
If you all have not yet said a prayer for those affected...do it now. Right now!! Do not wait, STOP READING AND DO IT!!

Dennis

Being serious here..for once.


Thanks for the prayer as the efforts to contain the fires, and rebuild, will take months.

Implementing the active management required to make changes in the long term fire danger (mechanically thinning the unburnt areas) will need prayer to fight the opposition forces that have appealed and litigated all efforts to prevent this tragedy since 1990. The density and dead timber stand problems were identified during the prior SBNF Forest Plan Revision and the groups that have been misinforming the public, claiming the issue is evil big business loggers vs. misguided habitat protection, will need to be corrected (truth in advertising does not appear to apply to radical environmental organizations).

Thanks for the ideas and concern on a backdoor to the mountains. I could legally wear my USFS uniform and volunteer to monitor one of the back road entries, or volunteer to cut dangerous trees that block roads, and take the opportunity to drive up and check things out. In my opinion, checking on the place is not important enough to risk getting in the way, or to risk diverting resources from where they may be needed. Let the resources finish the job and move to the other areas where they are needed.

The folks in San Diego have suffered much more shock, and need prayer, as they were never warned that the connected unmanaged wildland habitat would pose a fire expansion threat to their homes and emergency exit corridoors. The SBNF residents have known about the threats, the CNF and SD folks were blindsided.

[CRASH]

Good to see your OK, Ed.

I was worried about your ass.

CRASh