California Wildfires

[Big C]

Those of you who might be (or are) in harm's way right now, I just wanted you to know that y'all are in my prayers. Hope you and yours emerge from the devastation in good shape.

[thepatient]

Here in Victorville we aren't impacted by the flames directly, but the smoke from the fires has been horrendous. With the slight on shore flow the smoke has been wafting straight at us from two of the fires. The Oak Glenn fire is to the south east of us, and the Station fire is to the west. When you look at the sky during the day it's clear to see the plumes of smoke from both.

I've been painting the outside of my house, so Sunday I spent all day out in the smoke. My eyes have been burning constantly since then. You know when you go camping and you make fire? Occasionally the wind will shift and the smoke will come into your face and burn you eyes. Imagine that sensation happening all day long, that's what it's been like here. Ash is coming down on everything too. Between Apple Valley and Victorville there is a road that passes over the Mojave River between some rock formations. That formation is less then a quarter mile from where I work. Yesterday (Monday) I couldn't even see those rocks. When I went outside for a smoke last night the moon looked like a giant orange in the sky. You can't see any stars, but there is one orange dot that you can see which I believe is Jupiter.

Today it is overcast, it semmed like it might rain and then that would knock down most of the smoke, but I think the clouds are just trapping the smoke. Hopefully, it won't be any worse today, and this is not the worst smoke from fires that we've experinced here in the High Desert. A couple of years ago the smoke from a fire in Lake arrowhead almost blocked out the sun. It was weird I was able to stare at the sun, because it appear to be the brightness of the moon that year. So to keep it in perspective it could be worse, and I don't have to evacuate my house due to flames. It's seems like the last 4 or 5 years we get hit with this every year. The only thing is this year it started earlier in the fire season (which really only just started last month).

I don't know if anyone is familiar with the 10 tanker (http://www.10tanker.com/). It is a converted DC-10 that puts out huge sections of advancing flames. It is stationed here at Victorville out at the old George Air Force Base. I do the patches, hats and other embroidery for the pilots and crew. It has been fighting the fires and I've been watching it fly out to hit the flames. A little side note to Collin: Even though the 10 tanker is stationed here, much of the crew comes from Texas. They really are a great group of guys. The Evergreen 747 Jumbo tanker is also going to be stationed here, but it still has some testing to complete before it is thrown into service.

[RocketClone]

I 2nd that Big C my prayers go out to those people too.

[theJudeAbides]

When I went outside for a smoke last night...

So let me get this straight: You live in an area that is currently surrounded by fire. Not only is there smoke filling the air, but so much so that it causes eye irritation simply for having the audacity to keep them open. And amidst all this, you think to yourself, "Man, I sure could use a ciggy right now"?

Words fail me.

[kotorfan2000]

I live about 20 miles away from the Route 166 fires, and I can tell you that it seems like it gets worse each day. If the wind starts to blow Northward it start to become harder to breath.

Also, a friend just told me that two firefighters crashed and where killed en route to the fire because there was so much smoke.

It must suck to be a firefighter in here...

[thepatient]

Some updates on the fires:

The 747 Jumbo Tanker, that was mentioned in my last post in here, did it first official drop on the Station Fire.

One of the two fire fighters that were killed in this fire was a local to the high desert. There will most likely be a procession for him sometime later through town. I don't know for sure, but when ever someone from here is killed in one of the terrible fires that is usually what happens. He wasn't from Victorville, but from an unincorperated area close by.

Yesterday, the son of my neighbar across the street came up from Oak Glen/ Yucaipa. He was evacuated from his house due to that fire. he went back today and thanks to the efforts of figherfighters it seems his area was spared from the flames.

[thepatient]

Yesterday, September 4, 2009, The procession of Los Angeles Captain Ted Hall went through town, and he was laid to rest. My sympathies go out to his family and co-workers.

I really hope they catch the person or persons who started the Station Fire.