Fire!

[Charlotte's Web]

Haven't logged in for weeks, but want to ask to be kept in your thoughts/prayers.
Fires are raging out of control in my area of N CA.  While today I am not in immediate danger, that could change quickly any time now.  Smoke worse every day.  Couldn't sleep at all last nite from combo smoke headache & anxiety.I am surrounded in 3 directions.  Only evacuation now would be toward coast a few miles west.  If things get really bad, even that may be untenable.

Spent all day yesterday on roof, raking big drifts of redwood needles that fall every day until rains come again.  Today, more hours raking huge piles of needles & moving them far away from structures as possible.  Cell towers near here have burned, even land lines down, many have no internet.  I have power still, but if things get worse that could go.

On & off thru this, the state Highway had been closed completely.  Fire wall jumped six lanes yesterday & fire has already devastated much of Santa Rosa, south of me.  Wounded from there have been transported to San Francisco.  I have lived thru many years of fires here.  This season is said to be most devastating in all of CA history---and so far it is just getting rolling.

Wish me luck, I am 'gonna need it!
Charlotte

 

[jimindenver]

Be careful out there!

 

[lenny flank]

One of the advantages of living in a vehicle--we can move any time we need to.

For a time, it looked like one of our recent hurricanes was heading right at me, and I had the contingency plans ready to move. Fortunately the storm turned and we weren't hit.

 

[steamjam1]

Yeah half the state seems to be on fire right now. I am 80 miles south of Santa Rosa at my parents house right now and the whole area is under a red flag alert for air quality from all the smoke. Yesterday was really bad. I am literally 3 miles away from the Santa Cruz mountains and the smoke was so thick I couldn't see them.

Be careful out there up north... Get outa there..

 

[tx2sturgis]

Sending a bucket load of good luck!

Stay safe!

 

[Queen]

Wow, scary stuff! Hope it leaves you be and the rains come quickly.

 

[casper]

Charlotte
My wife and I pray for your safety, it seems the whole world has gone to hell in a hand basket with floods, fires, mass shootings, We wish you the best.
casper and the better ghost.

 

[Charlotte's Web]

Thanks for all best wishes/luck--
Info for my area now difficult to get updated.  All news too old to be useful.  At this point in fire threat I always stay here to keep decks/roof swept/load fire go-bag, coil hoses in strategic spots for putting out drifting live cinders that so often are cause of house fire.

Timing is everything now.  If I stay I can help protect my home.  But if I leave too late, given my two westward escape routes are small winding roads to coast, I could end up trapped behind snarl of "stalled" vehicles, and like has happened in past, people have had to abandon their vehicles & attempt to outrun a wall of fire.  l'm on landline, but it is down.  Still have power, thus can pump well water for small cinder fires that might ignite.  Because I have satellite connection to internet, & power still, right now internet is only connection to outside world.  Unable even to call nearby neighbors.

My past decisions re timing/stay or go/ have always been on target.  Trying to be brave.  Without access to updated fire movement, it's getting hard...
Charlotte

 

[TrainChaser]

I hope you're ready to go, awaiting only the decision to do it. Your property is not worth your life, so don't cut it too close.

Good luck!

 

[sephson]

I'm about ten miles south of the Canyon Fire in Orange County. I'm not in any danger and barring a major shift in wind direction, I'm likely to stay out of danger.

http://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/1...day-in-east-anaheim-with-6000-acres-consumed/

Ten years ago a fire came within a half a mile of my place. That was a bit scary, but even then I was in no danger. I just moved back into my mom's place for a week.

 

[bigsallysmom]

I feel for you.

Hmmmm your escape depends on many very scared and stressed people keeping the lanes clear. That I would not like at all. I'd rather save half instead of risking it all, including my life.

I went through the central texas firestorm five years ago. 3500 houses destroyed. Among all the pines, it didn't matter whether you did all the right things to prevent fires from damaging your property. The houses of half our firefighters burned to the ground. They cleared defensible space, had metal roofs, a fire station nearby.

I got out. My pets were safe. My family was safe. My important documents were safe. No firefighters had to endanger themselves on account of me.

The lessons I learned in that event is the reason I started looking into van dwelling.

 

[highdesertranger]

stay safe Charlotte, I am about 5 miles away from the Canyon fire in So Cal. I am in no danger but wild fire is nothing to mess with. highdesertranger

 

[slynne]

Fire is so scary. I get the idea that you want to protect your property but I know those roads around there and I sure wouldn't want to be stuck behind a stalled car/accident or whatever. I have friends in Sebastopol and they are getting worried too and are having lots of trouble with the smoke. Let's hope the fires will get under control soon! Stay safe. I am sending good thoughts your way!

 

[Charlotte's Web]

...stay safe Charlotte

You too, Stranger.
btw, did you ever wonder why I've always called you Stranger?
First time I saw your handle I mistook it for highdesertstranger.
I liked that!  Ever since, you've been Stranger to me.

Keep that Desert Bag full...
    

Charlotte

 

[rvpopeye]

Cha Cha you get out before others clog those roads !
You can't fix stupid , but you can beat them to safety......

 

[Dennis]

Wildfires have been causing problems for months out there it seems like. Parts of Yosemite were closed when I was out there 3-4 weeks ago and smoke hanging in the air.
Good luck, Charlotte. Hope it all works out the best for you whatever you decide to do.

 

[Charlotte's Web]

Sending a bucket load of good luck!  Stay safe!

Texas, what I could use about now is at least a small keg!

 

[Charlotte's Web]

Cha Cha you get out before others clog those roads !

How/where are you, BTW?

Keeping an eye/nose on the situation.  I have animals & livestock to consider.  No where safe to move them.  In past, have been good at judging the situation.  Hope this time too.  I confess I will be mighty blue if I lose power & internet.  All I have now.  Maybe time to consult I Ching.  Astrologer friends tell me Pluto is badly aspected now, but more harmonious aspect should bring relief by 14th of month. 
Grasping at (dry) straws here!

Like you, " I yam where I yam." 
Charlotte

 

[bigsallysmom]

^Since you still have internet, look around. There's probably a facebook page on your particular fire with links to resources. There will be groups offering to come get your animals and board them a safe distance from the fire. Be sure and contact the ones that have been checked out by the police.

If the fire gets too close, they will not come.

 

[TrainChaser]

" Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa and the Sebastopol Grange in Sebastopol announced on social media that they are accepting livestock for those who are evacuated."
SFGate, "Sonoma County farmers and livestock flee from Wine Country fires" http://www.sfgate.com/food/article/Sonoma-County-farmers-and-ranchers-flee-from-12264104.php

You probably know about the Sonoma County Scanner on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/SCScanner/

When we had a fire running loose here a month ago, people were posting on the local 'Facebook scanner' site that they had the facilities to take animals -- livestock, dogs, cats, etc.