Southern California Fires

[bigdave269]

You might have heard about the fires in Malibu on the news, but I have heard that the fires in Agua Dulce and Santa Clarita did not get that much coverage nationally. The Agua Dulce fire (called the Buckweed fire) has spread and is still burning, driven by Santa Ana winds reaching gusts of up to 80 MPH.

My neighborhood, which is knows as Canyon Country, was one of the first places in Santa Clarita to be evacuated. We were driven out of our house by a fire line that moved more than two miles in about 20 minutes. It was a mad dash to load up my Camry and Ridgeline with essentials, and we drove down to one of the local shopping centers that had a view of our hill. I left my Mustang behind, because I didn't have anyone to drive it. I have to admit it was very unnerving to watch my hill burn and for hours not even know if I had a house to go home to.

The fires burned through the evening, and we eventually went to my Brother's house in Saugus (another part of Santa Clarita) to spend the night. The roads to my house were closed, but I drove to my house around midnight to see if it had made it. I took some of the back ways to avoid the Sheriffs, and was happy to discover my house was still standing. We even had power. Some of the other homes in my neighborhood did not fare so well, and there were six houses burned in our tract, four of them to the ground. I returned to my brother's house, only to be evacuated from there this morning. Fortunately, the danger to our neighborhood passed today, and residents were allowed to return. We brought my brother over here for a while until the danger passed his house this afternoon.

Fortunately, we are out of the woods, and dodged a bullet. But as I write this, fires are still burning all over Southern California. The fire from Santa Clarita has jumped the freeway, and is burning near Magic Mountain, and is headed to Simi Valley. At last tally 250,000 people have been evacuated from variuous areas. It is affecting friends of ours from all over. This is the closest I have ever been to a major burn area, and it is the first time my family has ever had to be evacuated. I have to thank God that we have made it through and are all alright and safe. I also have to thank the firefighters from all over who have been working so hard to make this fire less devastating. The job they are doing is wonderful.

So that is the news from Santa Clarita. I hope all of you in Southern California also remain safe.

[Webwader]

I can't even begin to imagine what going through something like that feels like. Glad to hear that you and your family made it through alright. My sympathy to those that didn't.

[Ridgeline2006]

Four of us 'veteran' hurricane survivors were watching the news at lunch today and agreed that we have no idea how it must be to live through those fires -- I'm so happy you're okay. Our prays are with you, your family, and everyone else out there. Please be careful.