Can't believe SO.CA is still having so many fires. Its been a terrible year for us here too in Northern California. I hope we get rain soon and the fires are put out!

Thanks Jeanne ! Fire personal can sure use all the prayers they can get. 2 things happened at the mobile home park. All fire dept personal were ordered to leave, it was just too dangerous, along with all reporters, as the firemen left they ran up to the few standing homes & yelled Anyone in there? Well, imagine the chief's surprise to hear, Yes I'm in the bedroom, he & his assistant made their way in to find a 300 lb disabled woman, they didn't know how they were going to get her out, they got to her bed when the window blew in & fire came in the room, they scooped her up & moved out of house with fire following them out the front door, but they made it!!! 2 other firemen were hurrying along when they saw couple back in shadows under carport, they went over & couple said, oh good, you're leaving so we can go in to bed, firemen actually lead them out, they didn't understand they would have died. It is now taped off as crime scene as they realize some of old folks probably didn't have presence of mind to leave. So 3 beautiful "saves" in Sylmar in what was 1 very long day, 1st time in 44 yrs I've packed up my car & helped elderly parents get their stuff together so if I show up they will follow me out. Got bad by about 4:30 but they used all the choppers with water & they got it cut way back by dark on 2 sides of me. All the freeways are closed so we can only go towards ocean, no time to pack up when police come if they do, we are all set to get out!! Olive View is large hospital & it had a fire on top of the building at 1 point & then had to take some patients out after they lost power, there are flashlights on the wall ahead of each patient bed for earthquake or fires so that is really smart of them, rest of hospitals don't do that, at least ones I've visited. We have lot of great folks out here. Sam's Club was closed last night but they reopened & fixed pizzas & took to the shelters & for firemen. Jan

Oh my goodness! Stay safe and keep us updated! Our prayers are with you Jan!

Jan~

Keeping you close in thought and prayers! My best to you and your family and friends. Be safe!

Marlene

Thanks for prayers & concerns. It is OK right now. Changes fast tho. The reason fire dept left the mobile home park was their hoses melted!!! They had nothing to fight the fire with!!And the fire did shoot up in the afternoon. So still dicey, will be until it is contained I guess! This fire was started inside Veteran's Park which is a lovely park in Memorial of the many vets that died there in old hospital during 1971 earthquake. The park is locked at night but homeless can go to back which is by the wash & go over the fence. Probably trying to start little fire to warm themselves. Not offical cause yet tho. Hope the firefighters get a break soon they have been really put to the test with this 1. Winds so wild, most said they had never seen anything like it. Jan

Oh Jan, I sure hope the winds will calm down and things return to normal again. Sure hate that you're having to go through all this. Please stay safe and keep us posted on how you're doing. I have been thinking of you and everyone in the entire area. It's so pretty out there. I remember those strong west winds though. Our VW Bug at the time could hardly make it through New Mexico but we kept buggin' along til we got to San Diego. Westward we had to go lol ~tenderlee

Here are a couple of photos of one of the fires near Diamond Bar, Ca yesterday from my house in Walnut. Luckily, the smoke from these fires is mostly rising and blowing to the ocean. Another red flag autumn day in sunny California. Linda

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My thoughts and prayers are with you too. Hang in there.

~~Mimi

Jan,

WOW is all I can say! You know, I heard about the Sylmar fire yesterday morning as we were leaving to drive to Palm Springs. Just before we left then I heard about the one in Chino Hills! WE saw the smoke plume from the Sylmar one as we were driving. I don't know---all these fires! I think people are REALLY stupid to have any fires going when it is windy the slightest outside...And the fauna that people plant sometimes are real stupid (like in Montecito having Eucalyptus!). Please pray for California. I love California, but with fires, financial emaciation, inflation, cost of living etc....we better straighten up something and like yesterday or we may be doomed! And even with all that I couldn't imagine living anywhere else.
Glad to hear that your Mom and Dad are ok. Hey, I was just talking to my Mom. The two shadows that said, oh good you are going to the firemen---turns out the were there already starting to loot the mans house! Can you beleive that!!!???? Hey, also, my uncle Jim was working ( and still does) at Olive View Hospital when the earthquake happenend in '71. He had just left the hospital building when it happened too! So, there's a good reason they have flashlights at the end of every bed! At least they learned from the past.

Love, Jules

Quiet tonight, no choppers overhead!! So nice. Jules they did get 2 burglers At the mobile home park but the 2 I mentioned were like in their 80's man &wife. Just confused. That is why they looked all day with dogs were afraid of finding bodies so far none. They are breaking their usual rules & taking the folks back in on buses tomorrow to see where their house was or to go in their house if it was up againest the mountain & still standing,& get some personal items. The stress level is so high in these folks that they are taking them in,most can't get off bus unless their home is standing. I'm sure they will have people on the buses to counsel. It is just flat for most part so they are going to have a rough time. I'm 2 miles from base of mountain so I get a much better view than I want. This morning if you went out your throat hurt but this afternoon it was OK. But the fire is on other side of ridge so I could see smoke, they were hoping it would get to top of ridge & they were waiting up there to give it all they had & I think it worked. Quiet is nice, I can deal with that. Folks & I really had lousy week, we are recovering from very bad food poisoning from last sun. Only thing that helped is Ocean Spray cranberry juice,dad said it worked, I doubted but after rolling around half the night with heating pad I was willing to try, it was like magic but it would get painful in guts later & you had to take several doses. MUst be a toxin that is easily killed by mild antibodic action.So there you have it!!This week will be better,I'm sure!!!Thank you all for the warm thoughts & prayers & Linda for the pics, I didn't think to take any! I'm just glad I can eat again, this is not a good weight loss plan especially when you are about 100 lbs to start with!! Just keep praying for firemen & that the fires stop as these folks have got to be exhausted!! We have had almost no rain since last winter. Couldn't go to church because of bad air, I'm just finishing reading NT, I'm in Revelation- how appropriate!! Nite, Jan

We've been praying for you, watching the news and thinking of you. Thank you for keeping us posted on the forum as to how things are going. Take Care of yourselves. Kirk

sunnyca - Oh, thank you for keeping us posted on your progress. These diasters are just so wicked all the way around...sounds like you've got so many good people out there working and volunteering to do the best they can with what's handed to them. Thank you for personally taking care of so much! Sounds like today will be so terrible for so many around you and please know that many of us will continue to send good thoughts and prayers your way...may God hold you all. That strangler, no. 1, STRESS...may prayer let some of it go for you all. Jeanne S.
And, lindasewandsew...thanks for sharing your pics.

Awesome pics Linda. Lovely view from your home (except for those looming smoke clouds of course). Makes me miss living out there.

May you all stay safe and sound, including the fire fighters. I hope your homes will make it through. ~tenderlee

Quiet night!! Not too busy day for the choppers, they went over in spirts. Air was clear & wind was low & blowing away from us towards ocean. Thanks for all your concern,I guess fire dept will have my folks phone line couple more days as they can't use it.You pick up their phone & hear them dispatching people around. Bro works for Verizon so he said fire dept. often help themselves to local lines. Mom's neighbor is aware so if they need help she will call for it for them. So all is calm tonight! Jan

It's good to hear that you and and your family are ok.

It's 2:45pm & all is well, beautiful day & the fire has moved southeast from us. I think it is laying low as I don't see any activity out there. Clear towards the north & east & as far as I can see,just light brownish towards L.A. so I think it is over!!!Thanks everybody & to all my GJ friends & Kirk & for all the prayers & thoughts & comments. So appreciated all of it. Hope I can be there for some of you when you are "fighting the storms of life" Oh, my bro. got ahold of his superiors at Verizon & the fire dept can take your phone line with your permission, which didn't happen in this case of course if they need it we sure wouldn't stand in their way but they have promised to try & get it back to them by tomorrow & they said they sure shouldn't have taken away seniors with heart problems phone. We worked it out so just glad to help fire dept in some small way. If we get a bill, we are to call & they will remove the charges. The cleanup is almost waste of time, everything I did yesterday is just filthy. So please pray for rain for us!!!LOL!! Hope that is it from here!! I've got stuff to do!!SS gift to finish & wrap etc. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!! Jan

Good news from you, sunnyca! Thanks for keeping us updated...hope your folks are going ok...and that others have found places to stay. Will talk to the raingods! Jeanne S.

Folks got phone back today!! Puts my mind at ease! They are just 3 blocks away but without phone seems farther.So all is pretty normal, chopper made couple of drops off in distance, calm expected until weekend when Santa Ana's are supposed to kick up. Guess I will tackle my car tomorrow it is so thick with black stuff my garage smells like it. I've been wiping the windows with rags so I can see out of them,time for some soap & water!! Jan

Glad to hear that all has ended well for you! good luck with all the cleaning!

~~Mimi

We have certainly been praying for you and all of the folks out your way Sunnycal! So glad it is slowing down for you and that you will be able to breathe a little better and feel better too. Take it slow in the cleanup process and don't overwork yourself! Glad to hear your folks made it alright as well!

Thanks Mimi & Marlene! it is exercise in patience I think. Clean it all up & in morning mess again & i don't think they have started cleaning out the mobile home park, that will stir it up. Just grateful we are all OK. The park where FEMA is has become a place to get clothes & all kinds of stuff. That is good but hope they check ID to see if they actually live around here.(This is crazy place sometimes-after 1993 quake we had bums come in & demand boxes of candy- we started asking for ID as we had made up family boxes-1 of grocery stores gave the nice boxes of candy-you may think that strange but the thing our folks in mission field found in Sri Lanka after tsunami was when they gave each child a piece of salt water taffy the adults looked so crestfallen, they came back the next day with candy for everyone & the mood was better, candy is a little special & that means you cared about them. They said next to food & water it is very important to folks. So you learn some interesting things & probably reason soldiers have given out chocolate bars for yrs. So if you ever take food to family that lost their house or down on their luck, include a little candy. I think it kind of represents hope for better tomorrow or normalcy. Jan