topic Re: California fires in Among Friends

California fires

dex — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:18:04 GMT

This is very serious...fires may merge.Twenty one dead and plenty not accounted for.This could end up with more deaths than the Puerto Rico hurricane caused.

Re: California fires

Kachina624 — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:21:58 GMT

It's rather unusual for these fires to have so many fatalities. Are people refusing to evacuate or what?

Re: California fires

dex — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:25:20 GMT

@Kachina624 I would imagine that a lot of the people who are missing are the invalid or elderly that just couldn't get themselves out....only guessing though.

Re: California fires

tansy — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:27:34 GMT

These fires and the victims are not getting much national attention🙁

Re: California fires

RetRN — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:41:07 GMT

This so very tragic and sad. I wish they could get them uinder control, so many people have lost everything.

Re: California fires

meallen616 — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:49:50 GMT

I just heard on my New Jersey local news that there are 22 different fires and 170,000 acres burned. They also spoke of the devastation to the vineyards So sad, especially for alot of people not accounted for...

Re: California fires

Kachina624 — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 17:00:28 GMT

@tansy wrote:
These fires and the victims are not getting much national attention🙁

@tansy We've had a report on the California fires everyday on our local news. They may be getting more attention than you realize. The devastation looks horrendous.

Re: California fires

2blonde — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 19:29:06 GMT

This has been covered extensively every day that I turn on the news (CBS). This morning they were showing aerial views of entire neighborhoods that have been reduced to ashes and rubble. I think these fires are particularly devastating because they are burning right in the city, not in less densely populated areas in the mountains. I was shocked to see what has happened to the vineyards. This is the livelihood for thousands of people who will not only be homeless, but jobless. Just horrifying.

Re: California fires

Bibione — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 23:42:52 GMT

I am in Italy now and most national news are reporting about the fires.

Re: California fires

gmkb — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 00:17:48 GMT

I was relieved today to receive an email from a friend who lives in Napa Valley area. His home spared so far. His granddaughter had to evacuate and does not know status of her home right now. Such a stressful heartbreaking time for folks in that area.

Re: California fires

Q4u — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 00:33:50 GMT

These fires are horrific. In 2003 and 2007, San Diego had fires that went from the back country (east) all the way to the coast (07) wiping out blocks of homes, surrounding us on three sides and we had to evacuate.

We did nothing but watch where that fire was, not sleeping that night. It was to our rear (east), barreling west on one side of us and barreling west on the other side of us.... It was at that time we got out of there. No one told us to, but we could see it surrounding us and we wasted no time.

The fire in 03 was just as serious but went south of us. We were ready to evacuate but didn't have to. It also took out neighborhoods of homes.

No one can believe how FAST these fires are. Ours was so fast that the firemen could not get in front of it....

We did not live in the back country, we lived in the suburbs of San Diego. It's something so frightening and horrific, we never want to experience anything like that again.

Re: California fires

tucsongal — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 02:39:02 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
It's rather unusual for these fires to have so many fatalities. Are people refusing to evacuate or what?

-------------

I don't think evacuation is straightforward. It seems like sparks are being blown all over the place and you don't know where they're going to land. You might evacuate to someplace that is going to catch on fire. It sounds terrifying.

Re: California fires

chrystaltree — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 04:42:34 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
It's rather unusual for these fires to have so many fatalities. Are people refusing to evacuate or what?

Perhaps they are. I heard the strangest interview on the radio. It was a woman who lost her home in the fire. What was crazy was that she said she and her husband could see a wall of fire in the distance and they were terrfied. And then embers stared falling and the smoke got thick and made breathing difficult so they loaded up both cars with whatever a few things and some family jewelry and their dogs and left. They didn't leave earlier, even as the saw the fire because they didn't get a robo call telling them to evacuate. No one came and told them they should leave. There was a raging fire and they were waiting to be told to leave! I couldn't believe what I heard, I would have thought I missed something but my friend was in the car. The waited to be told to leave when they could see the fire approaching. It's mind boggling. I can't even wrap my head around it. Perhaps that's what many people out their do, they wait to be told to evacuate or the hope that the fire will just suddently stop.

Re: California fires

Lindsays Grandma — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 06:01:14 GMT

I saw thirty eight pictures on my cell phone last night of the devastation, horrific. Whole neighborhoods totally destroyed. Some home owners were going through the ash attempting to salvage anything that was left of their lives. I actually cried and cannot imagine how I would react if it were me. Just thinking about losing every piece and part of your life is just too overwhelming. God bless all the victims of the fires and keep everyone safe and continue to bestow strength on the wonderful firefighters whose lives are in danger as they continue to fight the fires.

Re: California fires

Q4u — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 14:11:44 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
@Kachina624 wrote:
It's rather unusual for these fires to have so many fatalities. Are people refusing to evacuate or what?

Perhaps they are. I heard the strangest interview on the radio. It was a woman who lost her home in the fire. What was crazy was that she said she and her husband could see a wall of fire in the distance and they were terrfied. And then embers stared falling and the smoke got thick and made breathing difficult so they loaded up both cars with whatever a few things and some family jewelry and their dogs and left. They didn't leave earlier, even as the saw the fire because they didn't get a robo call telling them to evacuate. No one came and told them they should leave. There was a raging fire and they were waiting to be told to leave! I couldn't believe what I heard, I would have thought I missed something but my friend was in the car. The waited to be told to leave when they could see the fire approaching. It's mind boggling. I can't even wrap my head around it. Perhaps that's what many people out their do, they wait to be told to evacuate or the hope that the fire will just suddently stop.

@chrystaltree, I agree and I don't understand either. You can watch the fire get closer, maybe a mile or two away (or starting to surround you) but what I don't think people understand is 1) how incredibly fast fires are, and 2) the traveling embers are flying and travel a long way and suddenly, your roof/patio/palm tree is suddenly blazing yet the actual wall of fire isn't there yet ....

No one should ever wait for a robo call......

Re: California fires

DiAnne — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 15:56:48 GMT

@tansy

I agree. Every time I check in on any of the cable news stations they are all talking about Harvey Weinstein instead of the fires. There were much more interested in the hurricanes. There is a quick segment on the local news but if I miss that I am out of luck.

Re: California fires

dex — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 16:23:06 GMT

I only see brief mentions of the fire on my news station.I think California is being forgotten as there have been too many disaster events lately and nothing is tidied up yet.

Re: California fires

qvcaddition — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 17:01:32 GMT

In COMMUNITY CHAT, I HAVE BEEN GIVING UPDATES. THERE IS A BIG SECTION ON NAPE FIRES AND EVACUATIONS.

I live very close to SR and have family who lost their business and family who were in the danger zones, and friends that lost their homes.

most of us in town here are packed and ready to go. I have friends from Washington, Oregon and even New Mexico who have contacted me, so it is being broadcasted all over.

We are better today and some containment on the 22 fires. What started out in one town, because of the winds and not enough help at the time, spread very rapidly over the hill to Santa Rosa. My son in law lost his business and his brother and family lost their homes and some business.

Channel 2 here, and FM100.1 is updating all the time.

The rumor that illegals are being checked when they go to shelters is not true. Everyone is welcome whoever they are. My Grand daughter in law is from Brazil and works as an accountent at a winery, that has damage, but not completely burned down.

My one son is an Inspector for the city of SR, road paving and now that he has the internet, phone, electricity, and gas as of yesterday, he is calling me and giving what he knows.

Lots of eldery in SR because its a big city now, but lots came up years ago. I am elderly and was 39 when I moved here, am not 81. We all get there and it seems fast. Enjoy each day to the best of your ability. Try to stay positive and let the small stuff go, not worth it and you don't remember it.

LOOK ON COMMUNITY FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS AND WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING.