Colorado Fires

[Ted]

The news of the fires raging in Colorado looks bad even to us in California that get lots of fires. Hope all our members out there and their loved ones are safe.

 

[Hittheroad]

Where we are it is rather wet. But if I lived in a fire area I would like to think I would have the camper packed and ready to go at the first hint of trouble. No last minute grabbing of one last thing. Even without fire danger I like to keep our camper ready to go - you never know when your home may need to move.

 

[highz]

I hope all the WtWers living in fire country fare well this fire season. I do somewhat as Hittheroad suggests. During fire season some clothes, my important papers, photos and family keepsakes are bundled up ready to put in the camper at a moment's notice.

On a related and depressing note: 3/4 of New Mexico's evergreen forests may be gone by 2050, according to a Los Alamos National Labs study. That's because of increased average temperatures, lingering droughts and extreme fire behaviors. Yes, it is climate change.

 

[craig333]

As a former wildland firefighter I always think about if I can get out should a fire erupt. I hope I never have to bug out but our campers are great if that ever came about. Leave the chairs and tables and flee. Stuff can be replaced.

I feel for those people who lost homes. Its partly our fault, we keep building houses wheres they shouldn't be but you know what? I'd do it to if I had a chance to own a house in the mountains. I just hope people living there understood the risks.

 

[ski3pin]

Our niece and her family lost everything. They are all okay, Mom & Dad and two kids.

 

[MarkBC]

...we keep building houses wheres they shouldn't be but you know what? I'd do it to if I had a chance to own a house in the mountains. I just hope people living there understood the risks.

Lots of homes in the Bend, Oregon area are in this category -- surrounded by flammable natural trees (Ponderosa pines and western juniper) and brush -- including mine.
On the plus side, in the last 5 years almost all of the homes on my street -- including mine -- have replaced their cedar shakes with composition shingles.

 

[highz]

Our niece and her family lost everything. They are all okay, Mom & Dad and two kids.

Very sorry to hear this, but glad that they are okay. Hope dealing with insurance and other steps to recovery go as well as possible for them. The news said over 480 homes have been lost.

Where I live, I fear it's just a matter of time. There was a lightning sparked fire a few miles from my house yesterday, but the storm that started it also dropped enough rain to slow the growth of the fire so it was put out while still small.

 

[Ted]

Our niece and her family lost everything. They are all okay, Mom & Dad and two kids.

Ski, really sorry to hear this. My best to them in a difficult time.

 

[takesiteasy]

Ski, sad to hear this report. I try to imagine having to evacuate and watch your possesions turn to ash. I too hope things work out for them over the long term- no doubt the short term will be tough. We have some friends who are just south of the fire area. So far they are ok.

 

[ski3pin]

Our niece and her family lost everything. They are all okay, Mom & Dad and two kids.

I just received news from my brother, Fastshot. His granddaughter is an up and coming figure skater and had a meet on Sunday she could not take part in because all was lost in the fire -

[SIZE=18pt]"For those that don't know, Lil' Fastshot's skating coach told someone about one of her students loosing everything in the Black Forest Fire. The long and short of it is that a total stranger stepped up and offered to buy Lil' Fastshot a new pair of custom built skates so she could continue skating. With the lend of the skates her coach wore in her last Olympics, Lil' Fastshot went to skating classes Monday."[/SIZE]

These are the very kind things that happen around us everyday that are seldom reported yet are actions that truly make a difference.