Wildfire evacuation

Hang in there - How much more can we all take? -2020 is a year none of us will forget in a hurry much as we might want to -Please keep us posted -Karl
 
There is some speculation that some of the fires here in Oregon are arson related as several started between 0100 and 0500 hours the same day along major roads. Several small towns have been destroyed and at least two people died as a result of the fires. Fortunately we're East of the Cascade mountain range and most but not all of the fires are to the West of them. So far all our friends and family are safe but we're still concerned.
 
I'm in Southern Oregon, 37 miles above the CA border. Our fires started in the area between 15 and 25 miles North of CA, along I-5, human caused. Most of the small town of Phoenix burnt.

There are now, at least, 2 dead and 600 homes and 100 businesses burnt, many of the homes were mobile homes. It's at 3200 acres and 20% contained. I suspect more dead when they do clean up, as many elderly didn't want to leave their homes and the fire went very fast, through a populated area, with 45 mph winds.
 
About trees, brush, weeds and grass: cut it, eat it, or burn it- the three solutions of Mother Nature. Newc
 
Just got a message from my daughter in Cornelius Oregon and she said the sky is red but the wind has died down so the airborne embers are no longer flying but she said that Monday on their way home from the weekend they drove by the Detroit Lake area and it had burned an entire town to the ground. Sure hope Karl's OK and he can save his home and business.
 
All of you in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana are in my thoughts and prayers. I volunteered from 1976 thru 1981 to come out and work on the wildfires with the US Forestry Service. When a fire gets a certain size it starts creating its own weather and will turn on a dime its direction. When you hear the news report that firefighters used their fire tent you know they had gone as far as they could and that was last resort. Those tents are like wrapping a potato in tinfoil and sticking it in a 1200 degree oven. Those boots on the fire line are working as long and hard as they can.

I think of you all every day and what you are going through. Hope you are spared and stay out of harms way. Keeping you in my prayers, including rain for you to help stop the spread.
 
Status update:


Basically no change, the shop is in level 1 (get ready). House is in level 2, with Mary and my son at her parents. Weather is cooler with little wind which will help stall the main fire and help with firefighting efforts. Looks to be the trend through Monday with rain showers predicted Tuesday. So far as near as I can tell fire authorities have been aggressive in setting evacuation levels, which has paid off in no fatalities in our county. Newc checked in with me, he is fine and out of the fire areas.
 
Coopman...!
A gender reveal party!? George Carlin could really have good time with that one!

Yes, Carlin COULD! Turns-out that a 'GR' party is NOT what I first thought, either. It's a party where the new mommy and daddy get all the family and snowflakes together to drink wine and announce whether the new unit (baby) is a girl or a boy. Like ...WGAS? Then they throw some Black Cats out in the weeds and burn California down. There's only one guaranteed way to 'fix' STUPID! DD
 
Maybe that genius can reveal the kid's gender to his fellow prisoners when he's sentenced to prison for 30 or 40 years. Stupidity can be a terminal disease.
 
Thanks Coop, I never heard about those ding dongs before.

30 or 40 years TJ?
This California. Some judge will probably tell him he’s sorry he had to go through the court process and let him off.
 
Yes, Carlin COULD! Turns-out that a 'GR' party is NOT what I first thought, either. It's a party where the new mommy and daddy get all the family and snowflakes together to drink wine and announce whether the new unit (baby) is a girl or a boy. Like ...WGAS? Then they throw some Black Cats out in the weeds and burn California down. There's only one guaranteed way to 'fix' STUPID! DD


I't be a shame if this was on purpose. I'm sure some fires started other then the news related stories. I'm a environmentalist. It will be a long time till the environment will recover or maybe never will, sure hope it does. Sad.

Not everything is about politics for f&ck sake. It's a big deal if the forest of the north west burn off. At least if you want cheap 2x4s from your local hardware store. Not to mention the people it effects. I wish the best for the land!!! They are not making any more of it so cherish what is there for now.




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A little advise to those in fire prone areas. If possible try to keep even your project cars licensed and insured. I lost 2 cars in the Paradise fire. One was insured and I was compensated under the auto policy but the other was uninsured and found that my house insurance specifically excluded cars and parts. Also watch out where you park your stuff outside. The 47 in my avatar was a little to close to the house and went up but the white pickup survived, go fiqure?? Had my 31 had been up on wheels I could have rolled it out of the garage to the middle of my driveway.

If at all possible try to keep everything as a "roller". As usual my hindsight is 20-20. Tools tend to be covered so photos of all tools and gear are handy and photos of insured cars are a great help but store off site !!!!!! I had them in the shop Duh. Having been through this I can really feel the pain. Its also a good time to update the coverage on your house as cost per foot prices tend rise after these disasters and when you rebuild an older house you have to bring alot of it up to current codes which can cause real sticker shock. Good luck to all those in harms way
 
Those who repeat political rhetoric in placing blame for natural disasters should be forgiven, for they know not what they say.
In these most difficult times, outstretch a hand if you mean well, but please, not a finger.
 
I grew up (in the 50s) just over the hill from Wescott, everybody wanted a Wescott body. At the time, the Wescott name was synonymous with hot rods. Back in the day my nephews "laid up" fiberglass for Dee. One of them has a machine shop just down the road in Estacada. So far he has managed to save his home place and the shop but it's been touch and go.

You ain't been nowhere until you've seen a 100' tall fir tree explode before your very eyes.
 
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