Anyone Here From California Affected By The Fires?

[VioletBlue]

I'm having a hard time at the moment. I'm incredibly lucky sitting here in this high mountain valley. The winds are blowing right and there've been no fires in the valley or surrounding ridges yet. I know I"m lucky. But I have friends who used to live in Lake Arrowhead. Good friends. I have friends who live in Crestline and Running Springs. They may never see their houses again.

I've spent as much time as I can on the local boards and groups without going nuts. The collective grief of all these people wanting to know if their homes are still standing is overwhelming. There's not a thing I can do or say to help them. I can't bear to watch TV for more than a few minutes at a time. I know these places that are burning to the ground. We've had several clients close their doors because of evacuation orders. We stand to loose a big chunk of business, as well as friends if they loose their dealerships to these fires.

I don't know, I'm just overwhelmed by the grief I've seen the last couple days. If anyone feels the same I'd love to hear it. I know I have everything to be thrilled and happy about. But it's just such a heartbreaker.

Violet

[DingoGirl]

Violet -

This is all just so sad. I am up near Fresno, four to six hours away.....but watching it on the news. I can't believe the desolation. When I was a child half our house burned down, and we moved out for a couple of months during rebuilding.....but I can't imagine losing everything.

It's just heartbreaking to watch....I'm glad you are safe but so sorry for your friends, and all of the people down there. Sending prayers your way......

[Lisa]

Violet,

My heart goes out to you and all your friends as I watch the scenes on TV. I have lived through a natural disaster, but yet, I can't imagine a fire and the domino effect it eventually will have.

I hope that everyone will be safe.

[confusedks]

I live in LA so we are close, but not too close. My mom's friend was evacuated and we know several people at my school are being evacuated. It is not pretty. My heart goes out to anyone who has to deal with this!

Kassandra

[Mango04]

I'm here in San Diego County. It's scary here. I hope all of our board members from Southern California are safe

[Judyin Philly]

Violet

so sorry that this is affecting your friends.

My hubby and I spent 4 summers at the Boy Scout Camp in Running Springs. Loved that little town.

Have you hear about the camp or the town as a whole?

My son lives in LA near Hollywood and he said it's pretty dark with the smoke.

He has asthma so not a good place for him now.

good luck

Judy

[VioletBlue]

I haven't heard about the camp. Did it have a name? There are so many camps and church camps up here. It's not looking good for Running Springs. Homes in the northwestern part of Running Springs have been damaged or destroyed, we know that much. Those would be homes north west of the 18 330 split. I can't imagine loosing Running Springs all together but some people are saying that will happen if the winds pick up again tomorrow. I can't begin to describe how these small mountain towns take on such a life, such a place of importance. When you drive up and down and across the mountain as I did for so many years they become landmarks and goal posts and they take on their own personalities. Used to be if I'd reached Running Springs I was almost home for the day. Arrowbear was where I could stop for coffee on the way down and everyone was so friendly.

I can't even think about what it will all look like in the end. The devastation is beyond my ability to understand. Thanks for letting me vent. I think that's all I'm doing here. All my friends, all the people I know don't need to hear any of this right now. They've got bigger problems.

Violet

so sorry that this is affecting your friends.

My hubby and I spent 4 summers at the Boy Scout Camp in Running Springs. Loved that little town.

Have you hear about the camp or the town as a whole?

My son lives in LA near Hollywood and he said it's pretty dark with the smoke.

He has asthma so not a good place for him now.

good luck

Judy

[VioletBlue]

I hope they're all safe too. Many are probably without computer access if they've been evacuated. I hope you stay safe Mango.

I'm here in San Diego County. It's scary here. I hope all of our board members from Southern California are safe

[blueeyedmanda]

We have been watching it on the news here, we are on the East Coast, and I cannot imagine having to go through that. My heart and prayers go out to everyone out there.

[little d]

VioletBlue,

I am sad for you. I am in Texas, The only thing that I have gone through is countless Tornato warnings and little flooding in my backyard, Hail your usuall weather stuff. I have never or ever wanted to experiance what you get in California. I am scared just looking at the news reports and seeing everybody displaced by the fires, losing everything that you worked for. I hope and pray that everybody that you know being affect will come out of this safe. My daughter and I will keep everybody in California in our prayers tonight. I too have a cousin and her family in Califonia, but I am not sure where in California she is located.

donna

[cutiekas4u]

HI!

Omg i know this is horrible and ive been praying for everyone and I will pray for you! I was actually in the mountains in big bear for my birthday this past weekend. Me and my husband were shocked when we saw the fires and wind coming down the mountian sunday! I dont know what we would do if we were stuck up there. But I will continue to pray because this is so horrible!

I'm having a hard time at the moment. I'm incredibly lucky sitting here in this high mountain valley. The winds are blowing right and there've been no fires in the valley or surrounding ridges yet. I know I"m lucky. But I have friends who used to live in Lake Arrowhead. Good friends. I have friends who live in Crestline and Running Springs. They may never see their houses again.

I've spent as much time as I can on the local boards and groups without going nuts. The collective grief of all these people wanting to know if their homes are still standing is overwhelming. There's not a thing I can do or say to help them. I can't bear to watch TV for more than a few minutes at a time. I know these places that are burning to the ground. We've had several clients close their doors because of evacuation orders. We stand to loose a big chunk of business, as well as friends if they loose their dealerships to these fires.

I don't know, I'm just overwhelmed by the grief I've seen the last couple days. If anyone feels the same I'd love to hear it. I know I have everything to be thrilled and happy about. But it's just such a heartbreaker.

Violet

[VioletBlue]

Judy. Finally saw info on the Running Springs Boy Scout camp. Some buildings lost, but it's still there! You can access it directly here: Open Original Shared Link

Violet

so sorry that this is affecting your friends.

My hubby and I spent 4 summers at the Boy Scout Camp in Running Springs. Loved that little town.

Have you hear about the camp or the town as a whole?

My son lives in LA near Hollywood and he said it's pretty dark with the smoke.

He has asthma so not a good place for him now.

good luck

Judy

[Judyin Philly]

HI Violet

Jim and I were eating dinner and saw the national news and saw Running Springs..........

It just broke my heart.

Jim said the camp was AWHANEE (?) sp not sure of............WHEN WE WERE THERE.

Jim thinks it was sold to another BC council.......at one point but this could be the same one.

We used to stop at a little WONDERFUL bakery for cheese bread in town.

how are you and your friends holding up?

To think this was arson............just total lunacy.

[home-based-mom]

I am in San Diego County between fires and actually much better off than 4 years ago when I was directly down wind. This year I could see stars and blue sky and breathe and everything! Four years ago I couldn't do any of those things. However I have friends who have been told the fire fighters hope to hold the fire a mile from their home. Prayers are welcome!

I was wondering what people do that get evacuated. It isn't likely they could pack enough safe food to take with them until they could go back home - assuming they still have a home to go back to.

Over and over "they" broadcast that the only food donations to be accepted at Qualcomm Stadium were commercially prepared foods. ACK! Thanks but no thanks! That has to mean sandwiches and stuff like that. (Where is that little green guy when I need him!)

Whole Foods in Hillcrest is just up the hill (sort of) so I suppose people could drive up there and empty their wallets . . . .

What do people do? I am new enough to this that this is the first time I have ever even thought of this but it has to come up over and over as no one is immune from natural disasters.

[Mango04]

What do people do? I am new enough to this that this is the first time I have ever even thought of this but it has to come up over and over as no one is immune from natural disasters.

I thought of this too. When things started gettting really bad I fortunately had time to run to Henry's to stock up on cans of tuna and soups and plenty of gluten-free food, in case we had to evacuate. I'm sooo lucky because we didn't, but it made me realize how unprepared I am, and I was wondering what I would do if I was stuck somewhere and all the roads were closed, and I had to rely on the food that was available (little green guy)

I wonder if Qualcomm, or any of the centers would accept celiac-friendly donations? I wonder if there are people there in need of that?

[Aligray]

Those fires are just devastating! i can barely watch! i am from southern california. But i live in so louisiana. My brother has been evacuated. So have my friends in san diego. The house they were trying to buy burned to the ground! sooo horrible!

Violet, I love big bear! such a great cute place!

Having lived thru Hurricane Katrina, Violet, i can totally relate to what u are going thru when u say u dont know what it will be like to see those little towns that u love. I wont lie, it is very difficult.

Keep safe everyone! I will continue praying!

-Ali

[VioletBlue]

I did make a grocery run Tuesday. I was afraid the fires would start to impact deliveries to the local stores, and or we'd wind up with a voluntary evacuation which would also make food deliveries hard, or I would actually have to evacuate. I hit the grocery store and the organic store and stocked up on the staples. I've got a large plastic storage container that I started keeping stocked with emergency supplies after the 2003 fires when I was evacuated. I've got canned tuna and chicken, canned gluten-free fruits and veggies, gluten-free breakfast bars, cat and dog food, cans of chili, cans of beans and a few other things. All I've got to do is throw in the can opener some paper plates and plastic silverware and at least I won't starve. If I had to be out of my home for more than a week though I'd have to start shopping where ever I was.

I've also come to realize that it's true what they say, this never gets easier. I lived through the Sylmar quake when I was ten, about 8 miles from the epicenter and then the Northridge quake about 9 miles from the epicenter. I was working on the campus of CSUN at the time and wound up working among the rubble in an army surplus tent on the athletic field. Then the 2003 fires and being evacuated. But it's harder this time becuase I've just had to sit and watch friends go through this. I can't fix any of it. The best I've been able to do is netowrk among some of the websites and lists ferrying info back and forth.

So far one friend has confirmed they've lost their home in Arrowhead. Another friend still has his in Arrowhead and my girlfriend in Running Springs still has a home as well. But they'll be going back to live literally with ruins all around them. There are people all over southern california who are going to need a lot of help and support in the coming months. I've watched people from Cedar Glen trying to rebuild since 2003. Many still haven't suceeded. More haven't than have in fact. It's going to be a tough road.

Violet

[Judyin Philly]

SO GLAD TO SEE YOUR POST AND GLAD YOUR OK.

YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH ALOT OF STUFF IN YOUR LIFE.

I'LL KEEP YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS AND MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.

HUGS

JUDY

[gcleric]

Violet,

My heart goes out to you and all your friends as I watch the scenes on TV. I have lived through a natural disaster, but yet, I can't imagine a fire and the domino effect it eventually will have.

I hope that everyone will be safe.

I sympathize with you entirely. I can not imagine what it must be like to lose your home.

Here's an example of a family who does not seem to feel the same way. They did this by placing the most inappropriate music to pictures of the fire in their area. I was pretty much disgusted when listening to pretty much a dance song being played to pictures of a disaster that is affecting so many people in so many terrible ways. Sorry to depress you but I need to vent this somewhere.

Don't worry, it's not a spam site or a porn link. It's merely the owner of the website who has posted this video to show his friends and family. Unfortunately I feel he's coming off in an entirely different fashion than he might think.

Open Original Shared Link

God bless all the families involved in this horrific disaster.

[VioletBlue]

Yes, that is a little odd and uncomfortable to watch.

I remember the first time back in 2003 when I joined several email lists full of firefighters and what I would call professional "fire chasers". I was rather stunned by their fascination with pictures of fires. Many of them have vast collections of fire pictures. Some of them drool over fire pictures the way other men drool over Playboy. That still concerns me sometimes, LOL.

Still I wish that were the most inappropriate thing I've seen or heard so far this . Fires always bring the wackos and attention seeks out of the woodwork it seems. And it's almost always hardest on the people just trying to get throught he day.

I sympathize with you entirely. I can not imagine what it must be like to lose your home.

Here's an example of a family who does not seem to feel the same way. They did this by placing the most inappropriate music to pictures of the fire in their area. I was pretty much disgusted when listening to pretty much a dance song being played to pictures of a disaster that is affecting so many people in so many terrible ways. Sorry to depress you but I need to vent this somewhere.

Don't worry, it's not a spam site or a porn link. It's merely the owner of the website who has posted this video to show his friends and family. Unfortunately I feel he's coming off in an entirely different fashion than he might think.

Open Original Shared Link

God bless all the families involved in this horrific disaster.

[brendygirl]

Ashes falling from the sky. My nose is bleeding from breathing the air. Electricity off this morning, glad I woke up without alarm. At work, the students are not allowed outside for recess, but we are lucky, most districts closed today. They gave us face masks to wear. It's the worst in the eleven years I've lived here. Arsonists, ugh.

[DingoGirl]

Arsonists......sorry to be blunt here but I'm quite satisfied to say that they'll burn in a hellfire beyond their wildest imaginations in the end.....with no turning back. What I wouldn't give to sit face-to-face with the one(s) who set those fires......I can't even imagine what I might do, or would like to do.....the same as many victims of these fires would do.

Four hours above, our air is thick and our sky, obfuscated and dulled by haze and wafting smoke......but my heart goes to those grieving down south.

All I can do, beyond prayer, is send money to rescue agencies and gather all my cast-off clothing to take to Red Cross for delivery to those wanting.

An unbelievable, terrible, tragic state of events.