the mandatory evacuation has been reduced to a pre-cautionary one, and
the cat and i are back home now. the immediate danger has been lessened, but the smoke is still oppressive, and I have been using a mask from the hospital to reduce smoke and particle intake. My friend Dan has been at my house much of this week clearing, watering, mowing, and watching for sparks. There are still fires on two sides and many others in the forest near here...some are thousands of acres...and may be smouldering til it snows..the fires afre called the Butte Lightning Complex and there are some very detailed maps available via goggle earth.
we are right between the West and the Empire fires (which have burned together and become one) and the Rim fire, which i fought on the first night, a week ago.