Traveler

I don't know if my neighborhood ever got those calls. I know that those with traditional phone-company phone service lost their phone service before the evacuation was ordered. The digital phone service offered by the cable company was still working when I left shortly before the official evacuation notice. I wasn't going to wait around for the official orders. There are a number of places where our streets are too narrow for cars to pass each other. I didn't want to find myself stuck behind a caravan of horse trailers trying to get out while fire trucks tried to get in.

I've been lucky to have some very generous friends put me up for the duration, but it's awfully cramped. There are 6 adults, 2 children, a dog and a cat sharing a 1 bedroom, 2 bath condo. I've been sleeping on the floor here since Sunday. One of my neighbors is a sheriff's deputy working the fire. His estimate yesterday was that we might be allowed to return home some time this coming Sunday. He and his wife were able to flash his badge to get home yesterday. They say that our entire little neighborhood of about 20 homes is untouched.

Lainey

^
Glad to hear your home was not damaged by the fire! Hope you get to go back soon!

Honda 367

How fortunate and what a blessing to have friends who opened up their home for you and your family. May God bless your friend for his generous spirit.

Kyras

That is great news!! So glad to hear that, Brian. I had the impression nothing was left in your area.

MsPerky

Very good news! I hope you get to go home tomorrow. I know some peeps were upset that helicopters and a plane were grounded so couldn't fight the fires, but it seems to me the firefighters went above and beyond to save peeps and their homes.

valentine

I hope you find everything intact when you get home, Traveler. I read that most places have no electricity, running water or phone service and that there is still a lot of smoke damage and cleanup for those whose homes were saved. I wish you and yours well.

Kyras

How did it turn out, Brian?

Traveler

Things are starting to get back to normal. I was able to move home on Monday afternoon after 8 nights on a friend's living room floor. All of the utilities were restored by Tuesday night.

I was surprised to find that there was no smoky smell in the house. The next time I scream at the builder about how he screwed up the plumbing I'll have to thank him for how well the doors and windows seal. The smell has been gradually getting into the house as doors get opened, and the smoky belongings that spent the last week in my truck get brought into the house. But I'm sitting here now with my office window open, and I can't smell anything. Either my nose is accustomed to it now, or last night's fog cleaned out the air.

All of our homes were doused with a fire retardant made from the same gel used in disposable diapers. The stuff soaks up water, and keeps a wet foam on the house that resists burning embers. I can't see it on my siding, but it is a milky film on all of my windows. I'm waiting for warmer this weekend before I spend hours spraying it off. Hosing off my front porch sent a stream of foam down my driveway. I can't imaging what the local creek will look like when the first rain washes the stuff off all of our roofs.

Winter won't be fun. Our homes were saved, but we're all in the bottom of a canyon. The canyon walls above us have been burned bare. I'm better off than most. My house is probably about 40 feet above the level of the creek, so I'm not worried about having the creek run through my house. But I am worried that water and mud running down from the canyon rim to the creek will find its way into my back yard. I'll probably do some preventative sand bagging to channel any runoff that gets there around the house, and away from the door to my cellar.

In this picture my house is the black roof below and to the right of the red star. All of the buildings in this picture survived. Everything below the yellow line burned.

MsPerky

Wow...that was too close for comfort. Hope the runoff isn't too bad. Good luck.

Traveler

The fire that chased me out of my house was declared 100% contained this morning. But they still don't call it "controlled". I can't wait for the air to finally clear.