Fire!

While we've all been worried about the flying pig flu (by the time it gets to this house it will have been born again into some sort of new super bug - I am just certain of it) and thinking about equipping ourselves with a certain kind of medically necessitated gas mask, we were surprised by two fires in the area and the need for a different kind of gas mask.

The first fire started this weekend up in Oak Glen, a cute little area that reminds me of Washington if for no other reason it has apple trees. Of course, this was one of the places I had slated to spend Labor Day weekend since the boys of the house are all going on some crazy multi-day camping trip. Nix this idea; there is nothing but charred remains from what the news sources say.



These pics are all from the SECOND fire that started yesterday afternoon about 4pm. Just when we all thought the other fire was containable and had dropped behind the ridge, some evil yahoo started another fire that is burning even closer than the last.



We live next to the regional park which has a resevoir, so the kids have been entertained by helicopters and fire planes all day. It made the morning dog run interesting, but man, my heart goes out to all the people who have been evacuated (good friends who just moved into the area included) and the hard working fire and Red Cross employees. Stater Brothers on Bryant Street was a staging area for many fire workers and trucks. The Community Center is the local emergency shelter. I feel like I'm back in Banda Aceh with all the emergency vehicles whizzing around.



DC-10. There were three flying around at one time; including a 747.



Schools are closed in the district due to poor air quality. Who knew you could have 'fire days'. Snow days, yes. The kids are praying for mudslide days and killer bee days now, too.





Kind of Armegeddony, don't you think?



The power went out for a bit yesterday, too, adding to the feeling of the world ending. But, as California always does, it'll rise like a Phoenix. Now, what to do with five kids when it is 100+ degrees outside and the air quality is so bad that school is closed????