The fire

Thank you for the information on Canoga Park. I just wish everyone was in an area that is safe from the fires. Please, everyone keep in touch. We can't be there with you, but we are in spirit and in prayers. Keep your loved one close.

Heartfelt prayers being said for all...as said previously, what matters most is that YOU and furry friends are all ok....I am sure though that it must be devastating for all...

God hear the prayers of your people.

Amen to that, LouC!

I could be wrong, but I believe the number evacuated is now closer to 750,000. The first 500,000 are mandatory, the rest voluntary. The numbers fluctuate, and are not set in stone. I could be way off base, but I *think* I heard this when the mayor was speaking a day or so ago.

We are still having trouble getting info about our area. We called the sheriff's office, but the evac order still stands. Still, we're hoping we'll be able to return home soon. Poor DH is having a h*l of a vacation! :-(

Oh, kaperc, it sounds pretty devastating. Where are you staying now? My evacuated sister just called in to our 'family contact' to say her eyes are burning, ash all over the place, and they can see the fires from where they are (close to Fallbrook but I guess not inside it) and the sherrif keeps them posted on when/if they will evacuate. The fire is still a mile away from her house, which makes things hopeful for her.

Here is a Link to the Fallbrook Village News which has some updated info as of 2:00 p.m. today for those checking in on the status of various fires in San Diego area: http://www.thevillagenews.com/story.asp?story_ID=26177

Good luck and stay safe!

If you are in an evacuation center... and see a long haired kid (probably w/tattoos) please tell him to call home .... even if he is not mine.... I am fairly sure his parents would appreciate the call. Thanks.

My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with you all during this most difficult time...Be SAFE...material things are replaceable, human life isn't...

If there is anything I can do to help I'm here...

Your DG garden friend in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
Jan

My prayers are added to all the others for those in harm's way! May these terrible fires end . God be with you all.

This is just horrid!! Prayers are out there and I know most of the SW forum is watching this and praying for all of you! I sent a note to betterbloom who has visited our forum quite often...nothing back from her, anyone heard from her? Keep your heads up over there!!!

This is such an excellent blog for fire info - I wanted to share it with everyone. http://and-still-i-persist.com/

All of you in harm's way and outside of it breathing all the smoke and enduring the soot I have you in my thoughts and prayers. I know a lot of firefighters from this area were sent down there to fight yours,
I am hopeful that the winds will be less so they can get the upper hand on these fire. I wish I could travel down there with my horse trailer to help evacuate the animals.
((((((((Dyson))))))))

Lani

Dyson, good advice, and I truly hope you find your sons, maybe somewhere in all this there is a blessing waiting for you. Hugs from me too.

Brenda

HI guys!!! Thank you all for your concern. We were pushed out day before yesterday under mandatory evac. My main concern was our 6 cats, got them out and into a boarding kennel in Murrieta, got a motel in Lake Elsinore. Yesterday a.m. I was concerned about my seedlings, etc., of course and my neighbors cats. My neighbor, Gail, (loves opera DG handle) rescues cats and has 26, 4 dogs and chickens and rabbits. She had only been able to get 11 of the cats out the day we were told to evacuate, so I sneaked back into Fallbrook yesterday a.m. on a back road they hadn't thought about trying to close. Myself and 3 other cars went scooting up Puerta del Sol with 2 police cars right behind us. When I reached our house, I called Gail on her cell and as it turned ot she was trying to come up Mission at River Village and of course, couldn't. Told her about Puerta del Sol and she got through there just as the 2 police cars were closing the road. She got through, made it to her house to check the animals, etc. and was leaving back to Vista yesterday evening, planning that she would make it back home again this a.m. and all seemed safe so she didn't think we needed to get the rest of her cats out....I hope they're safe. I'd planned on staying home, I had 2 neighbors who were staying, who couldn't get her horses out. Didn't have my laptop...it's in a storage unit in Murrieta. So, last night at home I fell asleep about midnight (vaguely aware that the fire coverage on TV had switched to Leno) and the next thing I knew the phone was ringing at 2:30 a.m. and it was my good friend (another DG'er)who lives out in De Luz saying they had just gotten a mandatory order, and I turned up the sound on the TV to hear Marianne Kushi mentioning Winterwarm area, where we live, as needing to get out. I decided this was one of those signs from the universe and perhaps I should boogie on out, so grabbed the keys and left. It was kinda odd, because since the friends in De Luz had been told to go out De Luz Rd. and I wasn't sure of the other exit routes, I figured I would head out through that exit also. So as I'm heading into Fallbrook there are about 15 police cars going south on Mission (in the opposite direction) and I'm thinking, "Boy, I hope I'm going in the right direction". Heading out of Fallbrook toard De Luz I only see 5 cars and they are all heading in the opposite direction also. It usually takes me 20 minutes to get from my house to Rosa's house and as I pass their house I see that they're gone and glad they're on their way as I can see the fires on Camp Pendleton. They were leaving when they'd called me 20 minutes earlier. And then I see 2 cars in front of me and it's Rosa and Ruben, so I followed them on out and we went to Walmart Murrieta, where we saw more people from Fallbrook. I didn't want to call the DH and son at the motel and wake them, so we hung out and then went to breakfast. I hadn't wanted the Dh trying to get back into Fallbrook with me because his asthma is so bad in that kind of smoke. There are other people in our motel from Fallbrook also. A few think their homes are gone since their answering machines are not picking up. I tried to go through the Live Oak Park area to see if their houses were still there, but couldn't get in. One of the people we talked to at WM this a.m. had also gotten back into Fallbrook the same way I did and were able to get an escort into Live Oak Park Rd to see that their house is still standing. Big, beautiful Victorian they'd just built this year. Another friend lives in Lake Arrowhead and is New Zealand right now and don't know if he's even aware of the fire.
Other friends who'd gone out through the Camp Pen route the day before had a zillion other people going out that way also and ended up not being able to find a motel room until they hit Buena Park. Our friends frfom De Luz have their two dogs with them and their insurance, Allstate, found them a motel in Vista that would take their dogs also, so they're in Vista. I'm now very sorry that I left last night since if I can't get back home by tomorrow or the next day I will have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of seedlings and plants dead...stab me through the heart!!! Fallbrook Village News website states that we cannot go back in until SDG&E has checked each residence and connections..that, I'm afraid can take a very long time. I can't begin to imagine how awful it's going to be driving from Fallbrook out though the Pauma Valley, past Palomar Mountain, through Santa Ysabel and to Julian. Breaks my heart. I don't think there will be anyone buying houses in So Cal for a long time. This is the second time Fallbrook has burned...we know too many people who lost their homes in the fire 3-4 years ago. We've been wanting to move to Julian and haven't because it's become too much of a 'target' for fires...with all the nuts with matches one is really safer anywhere anymore. Gotta go check on my cats....more later.
Sherry

Sherry--

Whooa!! what an experience! So glad the DG folks and your new acquaintances are out and safe and I hope the animals come through OK. The seedling thing probably seems trivial to some, but I know what you mean about losing them....the whole fire situation is a heartbreaker for so many and scary for all of us.

I hope they get the fires under control as soon as possible and get everyone back into their homes safe and sound. God bless. t.

Not good......Just went downstairs and am told by other Fallbrook people that our road is burning. I guess I was supposed to leave last night..wondering about my 2 neighbors.........

Maybe we can help with the seedlings later....when all has settled out. I am trying to figure out how to do a collect/distribute thing through DG to help with exactly this.

Good luck Sherry!

Thanks, I've been building a nursery business...If we've lost the house and all I won't go back to gardening. I'll chart my life in a different direction....."one door closes", you know. I've spent the last year building this...I don't have the heart to start over.

Be well, Sherry and all of you in the stricken area...

Joseph

Sherry I feel so bad for you this has got to be gut wrenching but I'm praying for all of you that you can pick up the threads of your life and move on God bless all of you please never say never bigger and better things await you
Gloria

Former San Diegoan here. Be safe every body.

I'm sooo glad to hear you're OK, Sherry and that your house is safe, too!

We talked to our neighbor who is with a local police department and decided to wait another night where we are. We hate it, but for a lot of reasons (including three beaked ones) think it's the best plan for us. Our house is fine, and by tomorrow conditions should be more stable - we really don't want to repeat this exercise as our friends had to do.

Meanwhile, we're treating our hosts to a great Italian take-out and we'll enjoy their company some more - we don't get to visit with them enough, anyway. We're feeling very, very fortunate.

Kathleen

Adding my prayers to everyone out there and so happy to hear that many of you are AOK !!

(((((Sherry)))) fingers crossed.

Thanks all.....

I hope everything is calming down and everyone's house is safe and sound. It is strange because i live 40 miles east of the fires and we don't even see any smoke. I'm afraid that may change as the direction of the wind does. Our school district had damage to a couple of their classrooms in Potrero. We are off all week as all schools are, so I have some time to spend in the garden.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all close to the fires and I hope those of you that are out of your homes get back soon.
Karen

Humidity has hit (which is a good thing for fighting fires) but what that means air quality is pink/yellow because it is blowing the smoke that went to sea back on us.

I can suffer through some granny-pink days to get the fires under control!

Prayers and hugs from Kentucky! If I still lived in no. CA, I'd take you all and your critters in.

On Kaperc's blog reference (2:16, # 4119647) there was a comment that the wind direction change could endanger Temecula. Anything new on that line ? In addition to all the other terrible things, moving a dozen or more horses has got to be a huge strain on a person.

You know that a lot of these fires are set and where we are in Murrieta, completely separate from any possible link, there was a fire popped up this afternoon on this side of the mountains close to the motel, we watched them do water drops.
I've gone through more than a few very low monents since hearing that our road is burning and I was so stunned by the news that I forgot til just now that we hadn't checked our answering machine as we have been doing periodically. Our answering machine picked up!!! Our neighbor's did also and she's on a different power line!! I once again have hope. Hope is a wonderful thing....

Glad to hear from those of you that are doing ok still. Hope is one of the best things you can have.

My dad is worried about the aftermath. No trees and vegetation means nothing to hold the mud in place during the rainy season. Hope they get the fires under control soon!!!

That's the story of California..fires then mudslides...

Have been thinking of all of you the last few days. Keep safe, and keep your hopes up!! I've posted below a link re help for your pets, and have also posted it separately here and in the Pets forum. Hope it helps.

Marilyn

Here's an email I just got regarding helping the San Diego fire victims:


Subject: AKC and CFODC Sending Help To Fire Victims

In the face of advancing flames, and under urgent evacuation orders, people reach instinctively for their beloved pets, but in the rush to leave, often forget to take the food and other provisions necessary for their care. In order to help fill this need, Dennis Sprung, President of the American Kennel Club, has coordinated with Susan Sholar, President of the California Federation of Dog Clubs, to send an immediate donation of food, collars and leashes, and crates to help those dog owners affected by the devastating fires in southern California.

CFODC members, and anyone else needing assistance in providing for their pets' security and well-being as a result of these fires, should call the California School of Dog Grooming at 1-800-949-3746, and ask for Susan. The school, located in San Diego, is the designated site for distribution of the donated supplies, as well as a growing list of volunteers with offers to foster care, or with available kennels, dog runs, RV parking spaces, spare bedrooms, sofa beds, and the like.

The AKC and CFODC, in order to maximize their opportunity to help, ask that you cross post this message wherever possible.

Thank you.

Board of Directors
California Federation of Dog Clubs

Keeping "high hopes" for you, Sherry !

Thank you. J.D. I can smile again for awhile with hope. I called Gail and let her know that both of our answering machines are answering. I think of all of those who've already lost their homes.

Sherry, I can just imagine what you are going through. I'm glad you got to sneak back once, and I am glad your answering machine picked up today. : ) I'm afraid I would be one that would keep trying to sneak back....the not knowing would kill me. I'm hardheaded like that.

We had to do alot of sneaking around during hurricane Charley to check on things and family. The police weren't to happy,...but it was necessary because of looters.

I hope you get to return home very soon, and everything is o.k. Will keep everyone in my prayers.
~Lucy

Yep....I don't follow rules too well.....feeling impatience and feeling helpless are not good for me. The winds have changed direction, so areas that had been spared before may now be in danger though.

wcgypsy - glad you're answering machine was there for you. We are all hoping too that things remain OK.

Ann

Also earthquakes, too!

( That's the story of California..fires then mudslides...)

I glad you are okay except anyone in who live in that areas are safe....

This message was edited Oct 24, 2007 9:05 PM