thanks, mud friends, for the good wishes.
i meant to say i am camped out in the
driveway, but since i am using the
aid conditioner in my R.V. I guess I
am "amped" out, too.

I was able to help bring food to some
who have taken refuge in a camp ground,
and to others who are at a local school.
there is an animal rescue center at the
school, too.

i also brought cat food and kitty litter to
the center where the critters are being taken
care of. there is hardly anywhere that you
can get away from the smoke...thousands of
acres are burning since the lightning storm
last week.

yesterday i was able to take a cat and 2 birds
out of the area to a place far from the fire.

no such luck for the bears, cougars, deer, etc.
they just have to hope they can out run the flames...
and that they run the right way!

they say there have been no structures lost,
so far, although 60-70 of them were burned in
the fire that happened last week when the wind
was high.

they say we will get more lighting today and
tomorrow..yes, please send any extra rain that
you might have!!!

The fires nearest to me are the Rim fire and the Empire Fire.
these are both in the Concow area, which is named after the
Concow Maidu tribe, the original inhabitants of the area.

here are some Maps:

Updated by NASA twice a day from the Aqua satellite, make sure to open in Google earth:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Jun2008/California_AMO_2008175_lrg.kmz

Chico ER Map which shows Evacuation areas, receives updates:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=114588530322698785804.000450576c62232cf0482

Map link that shows satellite thermal imaging over the fire areas, with fire event information Note the outlines are not fire line perimeters. They are thermal perimeters. Receives updates:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=p&msa=0&msid=117233896055527860647.0004504ae7262f3ae7794&ll=39.844658,-121.475487&spn=0.237238,0.359802&z=12

California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Map, also receives updates:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=110735790609633874400.00044f7bd13c461bb9ba2


News Information and updates:

Cal-Fire:(formerly Calif. Dept. of Forestry & Fire protection..CDF)
http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents.php
Chico Enterprise Record newspaper: http://www.chicoer.com/
Paradise Post newspaper: http://www.paradisepost.com/
KHSL TV Channel 12 http://www.khsltv.com/
KPAY 1290 Newstalk: http://newstalk1290.wordpress.com/
Oroville Mercury Registernewspaper: http://www.orovillemr.com/

Live radio communications from the fire:
http://www.thenet411.net/