So the closest fire to us is about 15 miles away, but this is what the sun looked like at 4:00 in the afternoon Wednesday. The gray blob? Not clouds. Smoke. But the oppressive, eye burning smell of smoke had faded a bit, and the winds had died down.
We went on a field trip to the apple orchards today, leaving at 9:45 AM, and not returning home until about 9:00 tonight. As we rounded the bend in the freeway, we smelled smoke heavy in the air again. But that wasn’t the most disturbing thing…even in the darkness, we could see the air was clogged with smoke. Thick and gray, like fog. So thick, it nearly obscured the mega-watt spotlights that beam into the atmosphere from the top of the movie theater. What the heck? What was going on? Was there a new fire? A closer fire?
When we arrived home, we found our cars, fence, and yard were covered with ash. Large beige flakes. We quickly went the computer and TV for an update. One of the larger fires had moved from 50% contained back to 30%. It was spreading toward our county. We are in no danger, as it it is still quite a distance away…but the fact that I thought things were beginning to get under control…to find out they aren’t…
Every year at this time, California is plagued by wildfires, but I have never seen it like this. Crazy.
So, I’m not sure how this is being reported across the country, but it’s not over yet. Far from it.
Also, I saw the coolest stories on the news tonight about the awesomeness of firefighters. Several people who lost their homes had some of their memories given to back to them. It seems that as being lost to the flames was imminent in some evacuated homes, firefighters kicked in doors and grabbed photographs and other items, so that the families who were about to suffer such a great loss, would still have something. In the case of one couple, the firefighters kicked in their door, opened a garage and pushed a car that they had filled with keepsakes to a safe location. I don’t know about you, but I think those are the actions of heroes. They couldn’t save it all, but they could give those families something. They should be commended…especially considering what they are up against…..
Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times
A CDF firefighter is dwarfed by flames along East Grade Road on Palomar Mountain
9 responses so far ↓
1 jen // Oct 26, 2007 at 8:08 am
These bushfires are news over here as well. They sound similar to what we get in Australia sometimes. Devastatingly awful and it sounds like some of the current Californian ones were started by arsonists. Morons!
2 rik // Oct 26, 2007 at 3:16 pm
that’s crazy close. i still remember the 2003 fires–we were at our in-laws’ house in rancho cucamonga when the grand prix fire started. went to bed at night with the fire comfortably behind the mountains. woke up in the morning to find it had already passed us on two sides. two hours later we were evacuated. crazy memories.
glad to hear everything’s okay for you guys so far.
3 Aunt Deborah // Oct 26, 2007 at 3:53 pm
It is truly nice to know that the sickness in some people (those who started some of these fires) is completed outweighted by the humanity in others (the firefighters). On a side note - I am additionally sicken by the fact the sicko politicians are now using these fires as soapboxes for global warming. Please check out junkscience.com.
4 mamatulip // Oct 26, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Oh man, that is so scary. Stay safe, you guys.
5 Carrissa // Oct 26, 2007 at 8:38 pm
What you said about the fire fighters is so touching. At least those people who lost their homes still have some of their precious memories.
Stay safe and fire free!
6 Heather // Oct 26, 2007 at 8:54 pm
I can’t imagine what that part of CA is going thru right now.
Stay safe!
7 Mrs. Chicken // Oct 26, 2007 at 9:15 pm
I cannot even imagine this. It looks like the end of the world.
I think you just made me grateful that I live on a corn field.
Stay safe, friend.
8 AngelNicki // Oct 28, 2007 at 1:26 am
That is definitely heroic that the firefighters risked their lives not just to save people, but to save people’s memories and save people from some extra trauma!
9 s'mee // Oct 29, 2007 at 4:42 am
Thanks for posting this. I think sometimes people just cannot comprehend what kind of force these men are up against. Our #1 was on the front line a few years back and was the fire fighter in such a photo. It makes me cry. My little boy, now a grown man fighting a fourty foot wall of hell.
Thank you.
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