Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Fire

We are always in a state of drought or semi-drought in California. 'Tis the nature of our geography.....

This year we've had quite a bit of rain. The good thing is that we need the water. The bad thing is rain makes vegetation grow. Everywhere.

Another quirk of our geography is the hot, VERY dry winds that come from the East...known as The Santa Ana Winds or The Santana Winds. The former for the hills that it comes sweeping over, the latter for what they really are.... Devil Winds.

Usually at this time of year, if we have them blow, they just make everyone cranky. Yep. These winds affect mood. It's like everyone is PMS-ing. But the abundance of vegetation and no rain for a few weeks and the drying effects of the winds....

Fire.

Mandatory Evacuations are in place. My friend from church... her family has been evacuated. They don't live too far from my own parents. I haven't spoken to them, but I am very very sure my mom would call if they were evacuated. My dad was probably out trying to keep ash out of the swimming pool when I called....

The fire is, from what I can gather from various news agencies, just on the other side of the hill from my parents. The toll road that is either loved or hated (depending on if you have access, I suppose) may end up being the savior... it is, at this point, the major fire break. But the canyon just a few miles from my parents is under voluntary evacuation.

The last time the fire was this close, I was in high school. It got smokier and smokier the closer we got to home after a parade. Horses were corralled on the tennis courts of school. Some bandos weren't allowed to go home as the area had been evacuated. Some of my classmates spent that weekend literally fighting fire in their backyards.

If that fire comes sweeping over the hill.... well, those are houses with shake roofs and mature trees and bushes....

And there is no rain on the horizon.....

4 comments:

livingwilde said...

Oh wow. We'll be praying for you. This is something that I can't even fathom. I was on a flight from the West coast one time that flew around a wildfire. It was frightening. Smoke in the plane. I can only imagine what it's like to have it encroaching upon your community. Our catastrophes are generally related to TOO MUCH water. Not lack of.

Anonymous said...

i'm with steph, nancy.. your family is definitely in my thoughts.

livingwilde said...

I heard on NPR that this was an OOPS... I bet that isn't even the SLIGHTEST consolation to those impacted.

Are you okay? (((HUGS)))

Nancy D. said...

WE are fine. Far far away.... And yes, this started as a controlled burn that became UNcontrolled. It is amazing how often that happens. To be fair, it isn't Santa Ana season. The winds this time of year are rare and when they do happen... it's wet.

Fire. Our recurring natural disaster.