Wild Fires

[LostArt]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18541799/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18562493/


The Boss and I walked out together yesterday morning to head to work and I looked at my truck and said, "Oh my. Is that ashes dear?" He sighed and said, "Yep. Boy this doesn't look good. But, I'm afraid it's going to get worse."

I'm ready to do a Cherokee rain dance. This is bad. We need rain something awful. I heard rain on the roof Saturday night and I jumped up and rain outside to dance in it....just feel it on my face. You know we need rain when folks are glad to see it. It lasted all of 5 minutes. We need steady rain for 5 days.

[Pootnaigle]

need steady rain for 5 days?,........... Move to Texas

[tramp67]

Two months of rain every day in Kodiak, we finally had 5 straight days of golden rain. So much for that, back to the wet rain!

[LostArt]

need steady rain for 5 days?,........... Move to Texas

I hate moving. But, I might go just to dance in it. :D

Well, you can get all kinds of weather in the USA, take your pick. But, I think I'd take the snow before moving in Tornado Alley. Whew! No thank you.

[PA BEN]

If States would do controlled burns these huge wild fires wouldn’t be as bad. But what do we know. Listen to a tree hugger I'm sure they know best. :eek:

[Squizzy]

If States would do controlled burns these huge wild fires wouldn’t be as bad. But what do we know. Listen to a tree hugger I sure they know best. :eek:

Yep I know the feeling up in the hills around Perth its all overgrown trees and bush. Its just waiting for a big fire to go through, you can't even start a chainsaw without them all coming out to see what you are cutting...

[LostArt]

It's worse today guys! I mean the ashes are as big as snow fluries today. Unreal!

[LostArt]

Thanks Swamp! I couldn't get my photobucket working.....I appreciate that!

Guys, it reminded me of the solar eclipse back in the earlier '70's. Or was that a full eclipse? Anyway, it was pretty errie. I couldn't even see the sun but, it showed up in the pic.

Actually I sent Swamp the pic at 6:30pm but I took that pic at 5:30pm.

[Orgnizdlbr]

This is a picture from LA's patio at about 6:30 in the evening. That's the Sun....not the moon. It don't get this dark till bout 8:15.....that's how bad the smoke has been.


**** Gracie, you that close to the fires?????

[LostArt]

**** Gracie, you that close to the fires?????


Yeah, pretty close Georgie. Yesterday Columbia County(Lake City) closed their schools early. The Boss and I live in the south part of Columbia. He works in Alachua and I work in Suwannee County. These counties are bordering Columbia County. I go west to work and he goes east.

Anyway, Lake City is 23 miles from Branford(where I work) and about that distance to Live Oak. Parents were calling the school. Students were having asthma problems or having problems breathing were calling home and checking out. It was a madhouse at the front desk! :D Finally we get word from our district office that we are busing the students home at 12:40.

I arrived home around 2:30 pm and the smoke wasn't too bad at home but then it worsened around 5:30 when the Boss arrived. He has been a PITA to live with these last 5 days! It hasn't been to smokey where he is working the last two days, but when he gets home he becomes a bear because of the smoke. I told him at least he doesn't drive in it every morning and evening. If he doesn't get off his monthly soon, I'm gonna go nuts!

[Orgnizdlbr]

Yeah, pretty close Georgie. Yesterday Columbia County(Lake City) closed their schools early. The Boss and I live in the south part of Columbia. He works in Alachua and I work in Suwannee County. These counties are bordering Columbia County. I go west to work and he goes east.

Anyway, Lake City is 23 miles from Branford(where I work) and about that distance to Live Oak. Parents were calling the school. Students were having asthma problems or having problems breathing were calling home and checking out. It was a madhouse at the front desk! :D Finally we get word from our district office that we are busing the students home at 12:40.

I arrived home around 2:30 pm and the smoke wasn't too bad at home but then it worsened around 5:30 when the Boss arrived. He has been a PITA to live with these last 5 days! It hasn't been to smokey where he is working the last two days, but when he gets home he becomes a bear because of the smoke. I told him at least he doesn't drive in it every morning and evening. If he doesn't get off his monthly soon, I'm gonna go nuts!
You stay safe Gracie and I'll pray for Florida Rain!!

[LostArt]

You stay safe Gracie and I'll pray for Florida Rain!!

Thanks Georgie. We are going to need all the help we can get. The fire (the one that is near our other property) has crossed I-10. My MIL lives there now and I went to see her this morning. The time that it would normally take me to get there from here is only 45 minutes, at the most. Well, it took me 1 hour and 45 minutes to get there this morning. I almost turned around to go back home when I knew it was hard to cross SR 90 (the emergency evacuation route) to just go 6 miles to our home where she lives now, but I got through.

You know, it's Mother's Day weekend, so it's a little bit busier than normal and what with this burning ban (Large red signs posted at every major highway), the traffic is unreal. They have closed I-75 at Alachua, where the boss commutes everyday and I-10 coming from Jax (west--before Lake City and Live Oak east before Lake City) Live Oak is our hometown. But, our property is nestled between I-10 and I-75 near a small town called White Springs....which sits on the Suwannee River.

We need the rain Georgie....because if it crosses the Suwannee.....I just don't know. But, where we live now, is so far not in any danger.....yet. Even though we are in the county where the fire has reached.

[Orgnizdlbr]

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Edge1289/Picture552.jpg

[Orgnizdlbr]

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Edge1289/100_0377-1.jpg

[Orgnizdlbr]

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Edge1289/100_0368.jpg

These pics are close to where I spend my weekends....too close for comfort! It rained last night, they say 70% of the fire is contained. People evacuated and some lost everything, very sad, they are blaming the Air Force for dropping a flare. This happens every few years, the Air Force shot up a school 2 years ago on a live fire exercise, thank God school was out that day. I have no problem with the Air Force training, i just wish they would consider droping over the ocean when conditions are like a tinderbox.

[zapman3021]

Here in Perth Australia its the power company that gets the blame for most of the bush fires and unfortunately most of the time the blame is placed correctly as and extreme lack of skilled labor and an even poorer maintenance budget are the usual suspects.Unfortunately at the beginning of this year a young lady lost her life fleeing in her car from one of the fires my company was accused of being responsible for.

[Squizzy]

I'm sure the local utility was also found responsible/liable for the Tenterdon fire which killed two people as well. Likley cause was bay lengths too long and mains clashed same as the fire at Toodjay bays too long and slack in extreme heat. You guys all take care over there and stay safe.
Just a quick question though are you guys in the US instructed to block your gutters and fill them with water? As thats a main way that embers get into houses and light them up.

[LostArt]

Holy cow Georgie!!! That's pretty scarey!! Good photos though. Did you take them?




Just a quick question though are you guys in the US instructed to block your gutters and fill them with water? As thats a main way that embers get into houses and light them up.

That is an interesting question Squizzy. Wonder if linemanfrog could answer this one for his location? Since we are pretty darn dry.

We still need rain and not a nary drop. :(

[Orgnizdlbr]

Holy cow Georgie!!! That's pretty scarey!! Good photos though. Did you take them?




That is an interesting question Squizzy. Wonder if linemanfrog could answer this one for his location? Since we are pretty darn dry.

We still need rain and not a nary drop. :(

Cant take credit for the pics Grace, they're letting people back into their homes today, last nights storm knocked much of the fire down.....

[Squizzy]

That is an interesting question Squizzy. Wonder if linemanfrog could answer this one for his location? Since we are pretty darn dry.

We still need rain and not a nary drop. :(

Not sure on how the fires behave in the US as alot of our trees are full of oil and the even when they are all green they go up and will explode in flames. One of the warnings given prior to a fire getting to a location is a warning for "ember attack" where it just pi$$es down burning embers driven by the wind this is often several kilometers in the lead of the fire front and creates spot fires. When the embers hit they will obviously ignite leaf litter etc. By filling your gutters when the embers come down they will go out in your full gutters and swirl in windy conditions and get blown into your roof space. It works on that pretty well but nothing is 100% sure in a fire as there are many ways for a house to go up...

[PA BEN]

Wind blew down power lines starting fires all over the place. Lost homes people were killed. There was one place where the fire was 3 miles wide going 90 mph.:(

[Squizzy]

That $h!t is just plain scary! A few years ago a firestorm hit Canberra and it destroyed around 500 houses, there a pine plantation right accross the road from houses and it jumped the road and straight and straight into the suburbs...