Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2017 19:44:03 GMT -5
Fires in Ventura California raging. Hoping that our friends will check in as they can. Let us know you are OK. elementary (I just texted him) gemfelleraDave |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2017 19:51:41 GMT -5
aDave just texted he is OK and is checking on relatives. ETA 17:36 PDT Update, relatives are bugged out and his knowledge shows their home is likely out of danger.
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,977
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Post by Tommy on Dec 5, 2017 22:23:50 GMT -5
damn... I've been glued to the Ventura scanner channel - it's like living the Sonoma/Napa fires all over again. Glad aDave is safe - good thoughts for the others. |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,050 
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 5, 2017 23:10:42 GMT -5
All OK here in Camarillo -- so far. Thanks for the concern. It all depends on which way the winds blow. We had a power outage most of last night but now all seems copacetic except the lights flicker ominously. I just feel very bad about the people in Santa Paula/Ventura and elsewhere who have lost everything in these fires. We're ready to go if things change suddenly.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Dec 5, 2017 23:18:14 GMT -5
Glad everyone is ok at the moment. A good resource: wildfiretoday.com/I subscribed to the emails when we were dealing with the fire in Mayer this summer. |
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 5, 2017 23:49:38 GMT -5
All OK here in Camarillo -- so far. Thanks for the concern. It all depends on which way the winds blow. We had a power outage most of last night but now all seems copacetic except the lights flicker ominously. I just feel very bad about the people in Santa Paula/Ventura and elsewhere who have lost everything in these fires. We're ready to go if things change suddenly. What? You live in Camarillo? I would have sworn on my rocks that you lived in AZ. Thoughts with anyone in danger tonight. (I live in the land of concrete, 3 blocks or so from LAX so I'm fine). |
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gemfeller
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Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,050
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 6, 2017 0:18:33 GMT -5
Bluesky78987 , Yup -- Camarillo. I may live in AZ some day if I can ever convince my wife to give up her business and retire. Come up and say Hi one of these days. You can even get super deals at our handy-dandy outlet malls while you're here. Your concrete is encroaching upon us slowly but inevitably.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 6, 2017 0:27:39 GMT -5
Well that's great gemfeller! A neighboe I didn't know I had. Your gem shows and dive boats aren't too bad either! |
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2017 0:46:42 GMT -5
Well that's great gemfeller! A neighboe I didn't know I had. Your gem shows and dive boats aren't too bad either! Yes! Dive boats. When ya diving next? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2017 0:48:01 GMT -5
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 6, 2017 10:17:17 GMT -5
Well that's great gemfeller! A neighboe I didn't know I had. Your gem shows and dive boats aren't too bad either! Yes! Dive boats. When ya diving next? Probably not for a while - I actually haven't gone in a couple years. Burned myself out on local diving. Northern Channel Islands are world class though. |
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monna0000
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2016
Posts: 243 
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Post by monna0000 on Dec 6, 2017 13:25:48 GMT -5
Oh no! We actually fell in love with Ventura when we travelled the States. We were only to stay there for 2 days, but ended up extending our stay to 8 days.
Is it the hole area that is affected?
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Post by rockjunquie on Dec 6, 2017 18:12:34 GMT -5
I was just checking some of the headlines and videos.... Hope everyone here is ok. I feel bad for all those people who lost everything.  Man, CA is really being clobbered this year. |
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Post by rockjunquie on Dec 8, 2017 13:52:31 GMT -5
Just saw an article that suggested that San Diego may be in danger next. rockpickerforever and everyone else out there- be aware and be safe! |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,602
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Post by jamesp on Dec 8, 2017 14:35:11 GMT -5
Stay safe you guys. Sure hope no one is in danger. Hate to see that beautiful country damaged.
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Post by fernwood on Dec 8, 2017 14:51:24 GMT -5
Those fires are so unpredictable and moving fast. Yes, stay safe.
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wampidytoo
has rocks in the head
Add 5016 to my post count.
Member since June 2013
Posts: 709
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Post by wampidytoo on Dec 8, 2017 14:54:09 GMT -5
Here in Montana we burned about the same as CA but we got lucky with an early snow. Don't see that happening in CA.
Hope everyone stays safe.
Jim
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Post by Pat on Dec 8, 2017 15:00:36 GMT -5
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Post by rockpickerforever on Dec 8, 2017 15:02:51 GMT -5
Thanks for the thoughts, Tela. I am about 43 miles to the SSE of the fire, and the Santa Ana winds are moving it to the west. However, conditions are ripe for more devastating fires. Especially if the winds keep up, like the weather guessers say they will. The winds have actually died down significantly today, but that can change. We are supposed to have them back this weekend. All it takes is some pyro to start a fire, and with the wind blowing like that, it is almost impossible to fight. Haven't heard anything yet (or if they even know), but since the fire started along the freeway, chances are good it was started by a car/catalytic converter. A lot of that around here. Although much more common when the temps are higher.
The Lilac fire has been the leading story (as I'm sure you can imagine!) on all the local news stations in San Diego. The fire started just over 24 hours ago, and I was watching a live feed from the area. There was no reporter on site, just the video, of the flames blowing westward - horizontally - and consuming everything in their path. The sound of the fire was unbelievable, crackling and popping. You just got a strange visceral feeling watching it, but I couldn't tear myself away.
There are multi-million dollar homes in the area that have been destroyed, but I think the biggest losers were the occupants of an upscale senior mobile home park. At least a third to a half of the homes there were total loss, devastating to those seniors.
The fire is in an area full of horses, training facilities and equestrian centers. A lot of high dollar thoroughbred horses up there. I understand at least 25 of them perished. The flames came so fast, it just caught the barns on fire, trapping many animals. The workers there risked their lives to go in and open stalls to let them free. At least that way, they had a chance. I heard the story of one horse that was scared and would not leave the barn, it died. A lot had burns and cuts. Horses were rounded up afterwards, and they and many others were taken to the fairgrounds to keep them safe. They are being cared for and receiving medical attention at the fairgrounds.
There was another fire to the east of me along the south side of I-8, but haven't heard much about it. So it was either put out or at least under control. There are also several fire burning south of the border in Mexico. Those will continue to burn to the wets, so no threat from them.
The rains we did have over last winter and into the spring were a mixed blessing. They gave us sorely needed water, and ended the drought. But they also contributed to plant growth, giving us a lot of fuel for situations such as this. Right now everything is so dry. We've had no rain since October, and that wasn't much. The relative humidity is very low, has gotten down into the teens.
At least we are not having a heat wave, this is a cold Santa Ana. But by tomorrow and Sunday, we could get temps here around 85.
ETA - I was typing while you posted Pat. Thanks for the concerns.
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,050
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 8, 2017 15:05:32 GMT -5
We've got our "go bags" ready. Essential stuff is heaped up by the front door. The cars are full of gas and electronic devices charged and ready. Last night we could see the fire raging on the horizon not far from our house in Camarillo, so all is now in the hands of the wind gods.
Calmer winds here today but still blowing. Unfortunately the local forecast calls for temps in the 80s, high winds, almost zero humidity and no rain at all. The jet stream is pushing all the storms to the north and east, leaving us in an arc of high pressure that doesn't want to go away. That's been a pattern in recent years but the combination of last year's heavy rains that left a lot of vegetation, now tinder dry, and the persistent winds is devastating in terms of fire danger.
Now a little rant. Our biggest problem has been finding out what's going on and where the fires are headed. Local TV gave them blanket coverage the first 3-4 days but now are back to the usual mindless daytime trivia. If there's any coverage at all it involves the fire near Bel Aire and the Getty Museum where all the super-rich folks live. This is a major disaster but all we get on the "news" is a tally of how many houses have been burned and interviews with poor victims sorting through the remains of their houses -- no consistent overview of where the fires are headed and who should evacuate. This has been a pattern over the years. It's disgusting and irresponsible.
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Man, CA is really being clobbered this year.
