The State of California is on fire. I have been watching the Camp Fire that has taken out the entire town of Paradise and killed who knows how many yesterday, continue to rage. There is the Hill Fire down in Camarillo, and here (and apparently everywhere) there are huge hurricane force winds. Last night, it was so cold up here – even under my down comforter, that I had to get up and put another thick layer on. It is a 3-day weekend. What could possibly go wrong? NO CAMPFIRES ANYWHERE IN THE NATIONAL FOREST.!
AND, there is a 200 guest private party going on up Willow with a “community campfire” and “professional fire dancers.” The organizer has assured me that he has canceled any fire at this event. Thank you.
There are no fires up here at our contribute- to pay for the gathering. Not with this weather..
no need to worry
Good to know, Mike. Glad you canceled the Community campfire and the fire dancers. How bout a rain dance, instead, and highlight the water in the dance with lights??
https://bigsurkate.blog
Glad to hear you have canceled the community campfire and the fire dancers. Smart move, given the conditions. Very responsible.
https://bigsurkate.blog
forgive my intrusion and no offense intended if you’re already on track, but do you have all your fire gear laid out and pre-positioned ? 200+ people and some will likely be smokers, vehicles mostly have catalytic converters, etc etc etc.. whatever equipment you have, close at hand ?
I don’t have a big party but I do have my fire equipment laid out myself, hoses organized, totes full, tanks full, prayer flags fluttering, water pumps fueled and checked.
heck, much of the hoses and water set-up might be delightful to help settle dust…
btw though, everyone else ? get ready, get it done NOW before you need to, before fear and panic might make it harder. practice setting out your fire hoses and charging them up. have a plan, please.
and if you don’t have any fire equipment, wtf ? we’ve all seen what’s happening elsewhere happen here before, get ready.
and forgive my suggestion/question if you’re already on it.
good luck to all of us !
All are prepared and have been since fire season got started. Residents on Willow have had a meeting re evac plans, etc. We are pretty darn good down here!
we have a Big Sur Fire patrol vehicle with fire fighting capabilities on site, 5 volunteer fire fighters, and a 3000 gallon water tender just around the corner full and ready.
Cal fire also knows about our gathering this weekend as i connected with them today
🙂
And if you are not having any fire, like you promised me, this is not really required or necessary, is it? So it sounds like, if you just contacted Cal Fire today, you decided to have fire after all?
well I for one am delighted to hear that from Mike and commend his foresight to have all that support in place, yay ! I enthusiastically shake his hand, good job !
far far better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, always.
we have all seen that, ahem, um not everyone pays close attention to sparks and fire hazards etc. not everyone is fire conscious/paranoid in the way we might wish.
and looping back around, I believe it’s a Red flag fire warning , time for everyone to get their game on and get their fire gear organized. check your hoses and nozzles and access to hydrants. figure no-one is coming to save you and act accordingly.
and heavens Kate, you were up early ! hope you’re rested anyway, but it’s hard to sleep well with all the smoke in the air, eh?
my heart goes out to Paradise, a whole town/community destroyed, 7000 structures and many lives lost.
get your game on, people.
Yes, I was up way too early, but there is a nap in my future this afternoon. I had phone calls to receive and emails to answer.
Regarding your comment, “California is on fire,” what is the air quality like down there yesterday and today? Up here in North Bay we’re inundated with smoke from the Camp Fire, which is a couple hundred miles north of us. Satellite imagery is showing the same smoke plume extending all the way down the coast, and joining up with the fire in Malibu.
Saturday, the air quality was awful. I could not see either the next ridge to the north (Prewitt) or to the south (Willow) Sunday and today are about the same, better than Saturday, but still not good. I can see the ridges through the smoke. There is blue sky above me, though.
OK. Thank you for that update. Heading down your way on Thursday by motorcycle.