California Fires

[Bees Knees]

I’m just wondering if all of our CA friends are OK. Sandy? Dennis? Everyone else from CA?

[DTS]

Fires

Bees,

We are OK.

CA is burning from Malibu to the Mexican border and the fires are fueled by 75-110 mph winds. My wife and I live in the middle of all this, Mission Viejo, so we have been safe. However, turned TV on a bit ago to see a fire in our area is starting. I don't think it's anything to worry about for now, but will keep our eyes and ears open.

We could see the flames and super red glowing sky late last night coming from Camp Pendleton and I have not heard, yet, how they are doing.

What worried me the most was my 79 year-old mother almost lost her home the other day. She lives in San Diego Co. I could not get to her as all the roads, freeways were closed for 20-30 miles. They let no one in unless you lived there and then you might not get back to your home. They evacuated them, but she got back to her home somehow. Fires took some of her out-buildings, trees, melted several garden hoses, etc, but her home was spared, barely. So, a very close call for her. Her neighbor's huge propane tank exploded from the intense heat. I just can't imagine how frightening it was for her and her neighbors. I did talk to her late that night when phone communication was available. She was exhausted and crying, but at least alive and a roof over her head, which is more than many have right now.

Sandy is OK, as well. She'll come back to the board in a few days and I know she would not mind me speaking for her. She moved out of state this week, so she's been without furniture, internet, but doing fine. We've talked everyday for an hour or so each day. She's so anxious to get back to all of her board family!!

Sorry for the extremely long post, but it's not something you can't describe in a few words. Thank you for your concern. It's very touching, to say the least and means the world to me!

I will let you know if anything changes.

Dennis

[WhiteOleander]

So frightening. Prayers for everyone dealing with this catastrophe.

[Chief]

Fires in Calif

Dennis, thanks for the update. Our prayers are with you and the many people who are experiencing tragedy of wild fires. This must be worst than the hurricanes that we have here in Florida. I wonder what ploy the insurances companies will use to avoid paying claims or to underpay claims.

[Maria]

Fires in CA

I am so sorry for the people who suffering from this.

I think the overall global climate has changed so much. My client who I worked in their home office for almost two years, did a lot of tours in the south and the north and find their ideal home (they said they can't afford northern CA crazy housing, same as a lot of people including myself. I am still here. LOL). They went to a city/area in the south, and they really like it, the only concern is, the snow line has moved way north, the city is running out of water from Rocky Mountain. They found out a lot of things like that. They finally moved to Washington in July.

When I was a teenager I lived at this school in an island. Every afternoon there would be half an hour rain. But it is gone by now.

So I have become very environmental aware, conserve water, wastes(no plastic bag for me!); making monthly contribution to a environmental organization, small $ .

Our office use so much paper. The Prosystem prints out a lot of input pages that no one ever put an eye on, I am not sure why they insisted printing out those pages. I just can't stand it. I can't stand people take things for granted. If we don't learn to treasure things I think the environment is declining quickly.

[Bees Knees]

Glad to here you are doing OK for now, Dennis. Sorry your mother had to go through that. Tell Sandy hi for me, and keep us informed.

Ice storms in the North East…Hurricanes in the South…Wild files and earthquakes in the West…Tornados in the central plains….Freeway bridges falling down in Minnesota…Anyone hear how Canada is doing?

Then we have friends on this board with cancer. My mother had breast cancer back in the early 70’s when I was in high school. She recovered, but had it again just a few years ago. She is still doing fine at age 81. Another close friend of mine who use to work with us at the old company was not so fortunate. She died at age 50. Any who have a ’99 tax yr QF can read about her on the inside front cover.

In this day and age with the Internet, we have a whole new world of friends and colleagues. We are concerned about the welfare of our message board companions just like we are concerned about friends and family. I hope for the best for all of our CA friends from this message board. I’m sorry I can’t remember everyone from CA by name.

[S T]

Calif Fires

Well finally, I could get my cable service, tv and phones hooked up. Only took a week and I had preplanned. The move has been more than traumatic, and now hearing about the Calif fires. We have been out of touch with no TV, no internet and operating off of cell phones for the last week.

The Calif fires are awful, and as Dennis posted prior, we have been talking almost every day. My concern is for all of my clients in Calif, and friends (Dennis and more) and remaining family. This is probably the worst I think we have ever seen. I don't remember any fires this bad or this many at one time over the last 30+ years.

Thanks to everyone for your concerns, all of our contacts in Calif could use our support.

Sandy

[skhyatt]

I am in central California. About a 4 to 6 hour drive down south to the area where the fires are, so I am unaffected. I truly feel for the people who are being affected. I hope they can get that under control soon. I heard from someone today that at least one of the fires was arson created. Some people are just nutz!

All my prayers go out to all affected by this.

[John of PA]

Thoughts and Prayers

My thoughts and prayers to all effected. It rained all day here in Pennsylvania, I am humbed and not capable of realizing the good and blessings in our lives, that we take for granted and somehow find cause to complain about things. My best to all in Calif. with the fire and aftereffects.

[oceanlovin'ea]

Dennis

I am glad that you are safe. Hope you can get your mother out safely, if she will go. My mother is 86 and when we had the hurricanes a couple of years ago, she would not leave her house. She said her house was safer than any of ours. We felt we had to stay at our home because we had a huge oak tree we were afraid would come down on the house. At that age they want to be where they feel comfortable.

The fires are terrible. They are so scary. Hurricanes you can prepare for but the fires jump and to me fire is much more frightening.

Linda

[Lion]

Prayers for our CA Friends

To Dennis and Sandy and everyone near the fires,

You and your friends and families are in our prayers.

When I moved to Santa Barbara with my then-new husband in the 60's, a fire was raging to the south of us; I'd never seen anything like it before in my life! We were in an apartment building so didn't do this during that fire, but homeowners would go out morning and night to hose down their roofs in case an ember flew their way in those strong Santa Ana winds.

When we eventually bought a house, our neighbors were renting but looking to move out of state -- they'd had a house burn down before, and then after rebuilding had their new house slide down the hillside during mudslides. They weren't going to wait around for three strikes, so moved to CT. Probably a good move, because an earthquake centered on SB occurred after they moved and on the day we were moving to CT.

Don't take any chances.

[BP.]

In this day and age with the Internet, we have a whole new world of friends and colleagues. We are concerned about the welfare of our message board companions just like we are concerned about friends and family.

Well said, Bees.

[John of PA]

Bees

Yes, I agree, well put Bees.

[DTS]

Some very good news!

The winds have died down for the most part, very calm most of yesterday and this morning. Temps are dropping today and will be about 10 degrees cooler tomorrow, which is fantastic news for all the firefighters. When this occurs, everything is in their favor and they can knock these fires out very quickly after hitting them with everything they have. Not that they don't do that already, but they have so much less to deal with.

Three of the fires that were within 5-10 miles of our home were intentionally set. After a tip from someone, the Sheriff's department took chase on one idiot in the act of setting three in one area and that ended in him being killed in a short standoff. It never ceases to amaze me at what some people find amusing!

Anyway, this is the latest and prayers are still needed for many, while better, this is not over yet.

I received a call from one of our fellow board members yesterday morning wanting to find out how Sandy and I were doing. To paraphrase him, he said we all get to know one another and become concerned when things happen that affect each and everyone of us in our extended family. Very true!

Dennis

[Gretel]

I am so glad the worst if over. Just got back from a 3-day seminar and was thinking about you, Dennis and Sandy, the only people I know by name in CA ,after watching the news. I am glad to hear both of you are OK.
It's terrible how people loose everything, but it's also wonderful how people get help never expected and how the most wonderful in people comes to the surface.

I remember a little town in VA pretty close to where I lived at that time. A lot of people, especially business owners, lost everything in a flood. Most of them to old to start over again. A couple of weeks later they gathered in a tent to celebrate their thankfulness and just being alive and all the goodness they had coming their way. I was and still am deeply touched. It's so tempting to just see the awful side of all these catastrophes.