California is burning - again!
Hi everyone,
I just watched a documentary on the fires in 2015 that wreaked havoc on our state. This was one of the pictures taken by photojournalist Kent Porter of the Press Democrat. It absolutely gives me chills to look at this picture! Many times, the firemen just have to stand there and watch things burn. And now, California is on fire again! 7 people lost their lives last week in two of the fires raging. PLEASE PRAY for all of the people who have lost their homes and for the families that have lost loved ones in these fires.
During one of the breaks of the documentary, I was talking to my husband about one of the incidents that I was involved in while he was at work. Talking to him about it, even now, I started tearing up and shaking. I could hardly talk. In 1999, a large fire broke out about a half a mile from our house. We lived in a very wooded area and had a wood house with a wood roof. We also lived on a cul-de-sac with only one road out. I remember stepping out onto the deck and seeing the 100 ft. flames shooting into the air and smelling the smoke-filled air. I tried not to panic, but all of a sudden, I started to panic. I ran througth the house gathering boxes of photos and running to the car. I was screaming at my 15 year old son to get the dog and get in the car. I was literally shaking, crying and screaming all at the same time. I was scared to death of getting trapped on that one small road and not being able to get out! I have to say that those 5 minutes were probably the longest 5 minutes of my life. I was totally responsible for my son and the dog, and it was my responsibility to get them to safety. We jumped in the car and raced toward the top of the hill where the road joined other roads. I had the radio on so I could keep track of what was going on. Luckily, within half an hour, the fire department had gotten control of the fire, and there was no possibility that it would race down the mountain and back up to our house. Firemen stayed at that fire all night to make sure there were no hot spots. I reluctantly returned home, but left the pictures in the car, just in case. We were lucky!
I have to tell you, I have been in a several tornadoes, and I have been in the worst earthquake to hit the San Francisco Bay area. I have been in a flash flood. But seeing a fire heading toward you is probably the most horrifying thing one can ever experience. That shook me to my core. Now we live in a relatively safe area. There are trees, but not too many. We live just outside of Santa Cruz. And now tonight, the Santa Cruz Mountains are on fire. Hopefully, the firemen will be able to contain it. Just pray the weather holds out and we don't get terrible winds.
PLEASE PRAY for our state!
Recent Comments
9
Thinking of you, Connie, and of the fire fighters and those people who have lost everything.
It must be terrifying to face a wildfire like that.
Best Wishes
Hazel
Fire, so warming and beautiful when controlled. But unleashed, becomes destructive and deadly.
Thanks for the report, praying for those fighting and affected.
Goodness I'm praying for all over there! I'm a few hundred miles away, yet for the past week we've had a thick haze hanging in the sky from fires from both to the north and south of us.
I have ticked ' like this', but I don't, my heart goes out to you, I feel your fear, your desperation, your loss of all that you hold dear.
To start again? Why are we as humans so resilient?
But for some reason we are!!
I can only pray and hope and wish you well.
Michele
The most shocking thing, I think, is that one has no control over something of such magnitude. And one cannot stop it! Even firefighters are sometimes at a loss to try and stop it. They do the very best they can with the resources that they have. Sometimes, it just isn't enough!
Nature is such a powerful force and I hope everyone will be ok over there. It sounds shocking
I am praying for California and hope rain comes soon. Here is my part of Missouri, we are at severe drought and people are getting worried that fires will be starting here. Take care of yourself.