California Fires

[PinkAndBlueBling]

With all the recent evacuations, I'm just checking-in to see if any of us live in No California and/or have been impacted by the fires and smoke? Last year, we had those awful fires not too far from me in So Cal. Scary! I hope everyone is safe!

Actually, I just checked and it seems there are several fires in the Western states. Yikes! Again, stay safe!

 

[VRBeauty]

Thank you for asking, pinkandbluebling. The fires are pretty much omnipresent, in one way or another, anywhere in Northern California.

At my “down in the valley” home we had several smoky days in the past week and one day with light ash fall. We’re not directly impacted or threatened by the fires.

Two weeks ago a major fire just 15 miles from my foothills home burned over 100 homes. That’s a huge number of people displaced and in temporary shelter. I feel especially bad for the kids (and parents and educators) who were looking forward to starting in-class learning again after a year of distance learning.

Earlier this week fire came within a mile of where my parents used to live, and forced the evacuation of their Gold Country town’s downtown district. It’s largely under control now but there was one fatality, and 14 homes were destroyed.

The Caldor fire is the one creeping towards Lake Tahoe - it has destroyed over 500 houses so far and caused over 50,000 people to be evacuated. (Many but not all of the homes were probably vacation homes rather than primary residences - this will not be the case if the fire reaches South Lake Tahoe. And of course many businesses were impacted as well.) Sitting down in the valley this evening, I’m enjoying the cooling local delta breeze, but hoping it doesn’t fan the fire 100 miles “up the hill.” We are incredibly lucky that nobody has lost their life to that fire yet – which I’m sure is also a testament to the firefighters’ training and experience. I know a few people who have vacation homes in that area, some of which have been in the family for a couple of generations. My sister- and brother-in-law live in the city of South Lake Tahoe. They were already out of town when the mandatory evacuation was called, and they seem to be preparing themselves emotionally for whatever may happen.

The Dixie fire, to the north, is huge and has been burning for at least three weeks now. It’s already destroyed one small town and threatened one or two others. There are crews fighting it of course, and doing their best to protect homes and property. But it’s so large and dispersed that it will probably have to burn until the rains come.

I guess the fire officials and local officials, and even local residents, have learned from the disasters of the past, when so many people lost their lives - tragically and horrifically. It seems that mandatory evacuations are called earlier, and fewer people are insisting on staying behind to protect their property. Our firefighters, which includes many crews from other states and even other countries, are doing an incredible job even though they’re stretched thin and no doubt exhausted at this point.

It is both scary and sad that these huge conflagrations have come to be a normal and even expected part of summer here in California.

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

Thanks for the information. I didn't realize so many homes had burned. It's just awful! I know from down here how hard firefighters work to save homes. It must be exhausting for everyone, both physically and mentally. I just can't imagine...

Stay safe!