Escape to Santa Barbara...Southern California fires...again

[MsUp]

Any Poconuts in the L.A. basin/Valley/inland empire who need/want to get away, you're welcome to come here. It's pretty safe -- there's nothing left to burn in Santa Barbara.
Seriously, pack up your dogs/cats...kids if you've got 'em...and come to Santa Barbara. Send me an email and we'll make arrangements. I can accommodate several people. And pets...though the yard is not fenced.[/quote]



Carolyn, you are the bomb ! I don't know anyone quite like you (what a big heart). I'm proud to call you sister, sister ! Please be safe.

[woogie]

Stay safe Carolyn and all you other nuts in the danger zone.Man how many fires has that been recently?. Too many I reckon.

[studiogirl]

Thank you for the kind words...but I think just about everybody on this board would offer the same. Especially if they've been through a disaster.

The Station Fire doubled overnight...not good. And there's another fire in Oak Glen, northeast of Yucaipa, in the inland empire.

Weather conditions are incrementally improving with the increase of atmospheric moisture -- fog forming over the ocean and moving inland, and monsoonal moisture creeping up into the desert and moving westward. Hurricane Jimena may offer the greatest assistance after it hits land and turns into a tropical storm. Let's hope there's no dry lightning!

Anyhow, my offer remains open...so anyone who needs refuge from heat/smoke/fire...let me know.

[Dar]

be safe all, hope everyone is...... sis

[studiogirl]

Of the southern California Poconuts and Richie fans I am aware of, none is in the path of flames, but the smoke and ash are dangerous, and there are several who are no doubt experiencing that aspect of the fires.

Something a lot of people don't pay attention to if they aren't right in the fire area: air quality. Air quality health warnings have been issued, along with the continuing excessive heat warnings. People are advised to stay indoors, keep their pets in, close windows and doors, use the recirculate function on air conditioners if available, and employ other common sense actions (masks/bandannas, glasses/goggles) to prevent or reduce coming into contact with particulates and gases/fumes.

And I can attest that long after the flames are out, when the wind does come up, ash can be stirred up and redistributed MONTHS and MONTHS later. Some nine months after the Zaca fire (2007), Santa Anas blew visible clouds of ash into Santa Barbara, from well over 60 miles away.

Be sensible, 'Nuts...stay indoors!!!

[Patm]

Carolyn,

good to hear you're all OK for this latest round of fires. Unbelievable it's happening again.

(Have you given any thought to moving to Ludlow?)

[Naomipocofan]

That sure is nice of U to shelter Poconuts from this disaster, Studiogirl! Where do Doug and Vickie live? (aren't they the new parents of the puppies?) I hope everyone is safe.

[studiogirl]

Unbelievable it's happening again.

I think "still" is more like it. My thoughts are grist for the political forum...but I don't want to head in that direction. The huge size of some of these fires is, in my opinion, essentially the result of forestry management decisions for the urban interface zone. For the past 50-60 years, every effort to put them out quickly was made, regardless of the fact that they are part of the natural cycle of the various habitats where they occur and provide benefits to the environment. People got used to the quick suppression and thought they were safe. The fires are huge because the chaparral hasn't experienced natural thinning from fires because people live there, so the fires are put out immediately and the brush continues to grow. After a few decades, there's just too much brush and it's inevitable that it will burn. It has to...it's supposed to burn...and it will burn.

That sure is nice of U to shelter Poconuts from this disaster, Studiogirl! Where do Doug and Vickie live? (aren't they the new parents of the puppies?) I hope everyone is safe.

My offer is always open...but thankfully, no one has needed to take me up on it. Doug and Vickie live in Vacaville, about 35 miles southwest of Sacramento, and about 70 miles southwest from Auburn where there was a TERRIBLE fire over the weekend...apparently caused by a power pole catching on fire.

Vickie posted on Facebook that the pups had "green feet"...which was alarming to me until she explained that their white stockings turned green after running around the newly mowed lawn. So the Poore family is all okay.