BS:lightning fire complex inundates state of Calif

Subject: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: open mike
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 03:52 PM

whew! i have been evacuated from my house along with hundreds of others due to fires that started last saturday. I was with the fire fighting effort until i got the evacuation order, now my personal survival is on the top of my list...I have rented a storage unit in town an hour away and have brought several vehicles and trailers full of stuff there. The first load to go out was the R.V. i use at music festivals and the musical instruments. I am at my daughter's house, amped out in the driveway in my motor home, and the cat is in there, too. Laurel

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 04:00 PM

Stay SAFE Laurel!

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: SINSULL
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 04:12 PM

Laurel - I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. At least you and the kitties are safe. What a nightmare!

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Emma B
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 04:15 PM

Wishing you all the best Laurel - wish I could send you some of our rain.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Bill D
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 06:15 PM

wow...glad you had some lead time! Sure hope it misses you.....and all the others, too.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 07:03 PM

Yikes! REALLY glad you are out of there and safe AND with some of your stuff and kitties. I am giving thanks your place remains safe and you are able to go home soon, for the highest good of all concerned!

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Amos
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 07:06 PM

As long as the guitar is safe, I reckon you'll be fine... ;>)

Stay alert!!


A

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: open mike
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 10:30 PM

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/

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 12:32 AM

No matter how bad things seem, there is always someone who has real problems, much worse than mine. This is a good example. Stay well.
B

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Slag
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 01:10 AM

Were still socked in heavy smoke over here in the Coastal Range. It's getting downright dismal, hot smokey, little or no sun, coming upon a week now---but fortunately for us the flames are still way off. God bless you open mike. I hope you will be spared along with all the other who face this threat. I know the folks in the midlands are having it full with the flooding. Different scourges but devastation is devastation. Help your neighbors, Do what you can. God help us all.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 08:43 AM

Amped out - I had this image...

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 08:56 AM

Best thoughts Laurel...........You're doing a great job in a tough situation. Much love and stay safe.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Alice
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 10:15 AM

When I saw the fires on the news, I guessed they were near you.
Take care of yourself!
Last year we lived with constant summer forest fire smoke hanging in the air here. This is going to be a burning summer.
All the best, Alice

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: open mike
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 11:54 AM

this is early in the year for things to be so bad fire-wise.
more lightning predictged for this weekend, too!

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: open mike
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 05:00 PM

LAVENDER SUN: Ignited by lightning, hundreds of wildfires are burning in California, smothering the northern half of the state with thick plumes of smoke. The unusually widespread haze is causing a rare atmospheric optics phenomenon--the lavender sun. Many Californians report seeing the sun, when viewed through the smoke, turn a bright shade of purple. Today's edition of http://spaceweather.com features pictures of the phenomenon and an explanation.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: SINSULL
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 09:32 AM

Where are you now, Laurel? Is your home OK?

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Alice
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 10:11 AM

My brain had trouble at first when I saw "fire" and "inundated" in the title.
Here's hoping that rain inundates the state and helps put down the fires.

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 11:13 AM

Laurel, good to know you are safe. I hadn't realised how widespread the fires were.

keep safe & return home soon

sandra

thanks for the link to spaceweather & calfire

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 12:13 PM

Lauren you sound very grounded, organized and fortunate.

A moment of silence for the Red Woods that burned at thier vulnerable tops

and fields of piney Humbolt pot.


now for the conspiracy theories.

Why 6,000 lightning strikes in 2 hours, when 300 is the norm?
Did someone press the wrong button at the HAARP installation?
Is the melted Artic ocean to blame??

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: open mike
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 02:15 PM

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.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 02:21 PM

The number of fires reported has gone from 400 last week to over a 1,000 this week. over 500 square miles are said to have been burned thus far.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 06:53 PM

Glad you are OK...do you know if Redwood City is affected? I have cousins there...mg

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: open mike
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 11:47 AM

http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/fireplots/cgb2008179_1900.jpg
no fires in the bay area--as far as this map shows

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: pdq
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 11:56 AM

Redwood City is a city near the San Francisco Bay. If there are any Redwoods there, they were planted for landscaping. The brush fires have nothing to do with the urban centers. Don't worry.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 01:14 PM

The number of fires reported has fone from 400 to 1,200.

What could cause such a rare display of lighten, the scope of which has not been seen before ???

Last nightI learned that the San Andreus Fault is acting up and doing some new wild gyrations deep down.

Could the mega lightning be a pre curser such as 'earth lights' that have been seen prior to an earth quake ?????????????????????????????????

this is not a prediction or a premonition, this is merely a serious introspection into this unusual phenomenon.

Drought will always make for wild fires but the 6,000 sudden lightning strikes is significant in my opinion.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 01:15 PM

typos

gone

lightning

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 07:45 PM

Certain rocks, when put under pressure, produce electric charges - the piezo effect used in electronics all around us.

Wonder how it goes on a big scale?

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 04:04 PM

open mike, dude, how are you doin?

How did you fight the fire prior to an evacuation?

Is anybody out there?

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: GUEST,Peace
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 08:34 PM

Just saw this thread, Laurel. From one to another: keep safe.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 10:15 PM

Fire evacuations ordered for most of Big Sur

National Guard to join battle; wildfire near Santa Barbara adds to spread

NBC, MSNBC and news services
updated 5:41 p.m. CT, Wed., July. 2, 2008

BIG SUR, Calif. - Authorities ordered most of the remaining residents of this scenic coastal community to leave Wednesday because an out-of-control wildfire, one of hundreds in California, had jumped a fire line and was threatening more homes.

New mandatory evacuation notices were issued for a 10-mile stretch along the eastern side of state Highway 1, bringing the total length of the evacuated area to more than 25 miles, emergency officials said.

"The fire is just a big raging animal right now," said Darby Marshall, spokesman for the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services.

Authorities have essentially closed a 25-mile stretch of Highway 1, blocking access to popular resorts, restaurants, shops and art galleries that line the scenic roadway and attract tourists from around the world.

The blaze had destroyed 16 homes and charred about 82 square miles of forest since it was started by lightning on June 21 in the Los Padres National Forest. It was only about 3 percent contained.

/quote

Some military (National Guard) troops have been deployed to help with fire fighting, but the numbers and equipment listings look pretty puny given the very large numbers of fires currently burning.

Los Angeles was talking 117F (47.2C) temperatures today, and no rain in sight. Hospitals are reporting very large numbers of people who just can't breathe with the soot from the fires mixed into the usual smog - even at some distance from any of the burn areas.

John

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: pdq
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 10:20 PM

"Some military (National Guard) troops have been deployed to help with fire fighting, but the numbers and equipment listings look pretty puny..."

The explaination is real simple. The National Guard ain't trained firefighters.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 10:27 PM

This seems to happen again and again in California. I'm beginning to get the feeling that it must be a pretty insecure place to live in. You would want to be darned careful where you chose to build.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 10:32 PM

pdq -

The list of resources in one of the MSNBC articles gave numbers of firefighters (including the couple of hundred NG troops, and larger numbers of professionals from several states), fire trucks, airplanes, helicopters, bulldozers, trenchers and backhoes, etc.; so I wasn't referring just to the added Guard resources.

It still looks like not much to toss up against Maw Nature in this situation.

John

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 10:37 PM

The fire risk areas are the most seductive. Other people want fault zones to be near work or relatives. Riot prone areas tend to be economical. Mudslides areas - people just tend to have a mental lapse when locating there - hard to keep in mind.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 10:40 PM

One really frustrating development, just a few miles north in Southern Oregon, we were literally drenched with gully washing rain two days ago. As I understand it, not one drop fell south of the Siskiyous.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Alice
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 10:43 PM

Laurel, did you get evacuated again? Saw news of new evacuations today.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: pdq
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 10:47 PM

You do not send National Guardsmen into harm's way during a serious fire unless they have the special training required. The small number you hear about is a reasonable percent of the ones trained. Probably half or so. Can you once give the pros the benefit of the doubt?

Next time there is a fedaral budget debate, perhaps some folk here can write Pelosi and Reid, who want all money spent on social programs, and tell them to step it up on Homeland Security, Department of Interior, and National Guard. We lost three fine men here, near the Nevada border, a few years years back becuase their tanker, made in the Korean War, split in half heading to a fire.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 11:16 PM

Anyway, regardless, people and pets, as well as wildlife need our good thoughts, prayers, what have you. I am sure they don't give a good goddamn just where the help comes from as long as it comes.

Power is out in Santa Barbara and a fire is within sight of the city.

May the Great Spirit bring rain and calm air to assist all two-leggeds and four-leggeds, as well as winged and water-dwellers and may danger cease.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 12:24 AM

I was in Europe for two weeks, until Monday. I heard there were fires here in Placer County, but didn't know the location. I came home to a house shrouded in smoke, but the fires are about twenty miles away.
Sure is hard to breathe around here, though.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: open mike
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 02:19 AM

i am a fire fighter, and i was on our water tender when it was dispatched to a fire near here. the fire crossed over the fire lines and was heading to my house.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 09:21 AM

again, thanks for the updates on the situation.

We're in drought over much of the country & are heading for a drier winter, so are likely to have lots of fires again later this year.

Australia the land of droughts & flooding rains

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 09:38 AM

Laurel, just please stay safe. I hope the fire didn't want your house. Please let us know how you are when you can.

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 09:46 AM

Ya' know Laurel, if I could send you a bucket of water I would but all I have are good thoughts and I'm sending them instead.......Kinda' pathetic........Be safe.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: lightning fire complex innundates state
From: Jeri
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 04:04 PM

I'm watching the coverage on TV. We haven't heard from Open Mike in a couple days, and I hope she's OK. She's probably working her butt off wherever she is.

Subject: RE: BS:lightning fire complex inundates state of Calif
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 04:30 PM

Last night my friend in Santa Barbara said it was the now the top priority for all of California and the smoke caused another power outage.

Subject: RE: BS:lightning fire complex inundates state of C
From: Amos
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 04:56 PM

Joe, Laurel, and any one else within 500 miles of San Jose, keep alert, and stay safe. We're rooting for you. Down here in San Diego we know what it is like, and we've sent what we can to help out with the fire-fighting.


A

Subject: RE: BS:lightning fire complex inundates state of C
From: Alice
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 05:14 PM

Even here in Montana, we have hazy skies from the California fire smoke.

Subject: RE: BS:lightning fire complex inundates state of C
From: open mike
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 06:19 PM

our former chief, john hawkins was head commander of the san diego fires during th4e cedar fire, and he transferred down there after that. we have fire fighters now from L.A., oakland, ventura (yellow engines) hollywood, and other areas here helping us.

there is a cool google earth map thatyou can find that shows the fires superimposed on google earth maps.

we saw sun, stars and sky for a couple of days when the wind was just right...probably blowing the smoke towards montana.

now it is eery dark,,,the sun looks amber/orange and shadows are brown.

there is not ash in the air as it has been previously. strange to see it look like snow. some ashes are skeletons of leaves.

Subject: RE: BS:lightning fire complex inundates state of Calif
From: Bee
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 07:25 PM

Keep safe, and I'll hope for rain aplenty.

Smoke from great fires block sunlight. We'd like global warming to slow, but not at the price of burning down half the forests along with peoples' homes!

Subject: RE: BS:lightning fire complex inundates state of Calif
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 10:12 PM

Well, Bee -
It's not likely California will get rain until October.
-Joe, still in the smoke in Colfax, California-