BONNY DOON ON FIRE!!!!

Geez, nothing like waking up to a Cal-Fire evac warning at 6am.
We just now got the mandatory evac notice. Got most stuff packed up, & will head out. It's a bad one folks.

I hate to hear that you have to evacuate Sean. It does appear to be a bad one, but structure protection is a high priority for those guys. Theresa and I will be keeping you guys in our thoughts.

-Jay

Good luck to all those involved from homeowners, business owners, and public safety. Such a beautiful area--I hope they get control of it quickly.

Best wish to all especially the fire fighters!  We'll pray for you...

Most recent update news on the BOON fire (1/2 hour ago)

By BROOKE DONALD, Associated Press Writer Brooke Donald, Associated Press Writer – 31 mins ago
DAVENPORT, Calif. – Thousands of firefighters battled wildfires across California on Thursday, including a growing blaze that forced about 2,400 people to evacuate their homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The Lockheed Fire, which started around 7 p.m. Wednesday, had scorched about 2,800 acres, or 4.4 square miles, in Santa Cruz County, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The blaze, about 10 miles north of the city of Santa Cruz, threatened more than 1,000 homes and other buildings and has not been contained at all.

Authorities issued a mandatory evacuation order Thursday morning for the entire community of Bonny Doon, which has about 2,000 residents and several wineries, said CalFire spokeswoman Julie Hutchinson.

Everyone also has been ordered to leave the nearby community of Swanton, where about 400 people live.

"It's a significant fire that is burning in a rural, inaccessible, steep terrain with vegetation that has been stressed by the drought," Hutchinson said. "It's like having firewood in your fireplace that's dry and ready to burn."

The blaze is about three miles from the site of last year's Martin Fire, which burned 520 acres and destroyed 11 buildings in the Bonny Doon area in June 2008.

Law enforcement officers went door to door Thursday as residents watered down their homes, aiming sprinklers and hoses at the rooftops. They loaded bicycles, pets, computers and other valuables into their cars and trucks.

Many had to evacuate last year when flames threatened the area.

Nancy Macallister said she was disappointed about the mandatory evacuation but said it's reasonable.

"The fire's big, the fire's hot, there's some rough terrain and the afternoon winds should be coming this direction, so it makes sense. They're trying to keep people safe," she said.

A shelter for evacuees was set up in Santa Cruz, where Linda Lemaster arrived early Thursday after leaving her house on Last Chance Road near Swanton.

When she got a recorded call to evacuate, she grabbed some of her son's paintings, photos, bedding and some food, she said. Her boyfriend stayed behind to take care of the cats and property.

As she drove away, she saw thick smoke and flames.

"I thought of volcano lava the way it was moving in through the trees," said Lemaster, 60. "If it had kept going like that, it would have headed right to my house."

Further down the coast, more than 1,600 firefighters were trying to control a wildfire in northern Santa Barbara County that has grown to 56 square miles. More than 170 homes and ranches have been evacuated since the La Brea Fire started Saturday. It was about 10 percent contained Thursday morning.

A temporary emergency shelter was set up at a high school in New Cuyama, and there was a shelter for larger animals like horses and cattle in Santa Maria.

In far northern California, two separate wildfires forced the evacuation of more than 30 homes.

In Trinity County, about 25 homes were evacuated as gusty winds fed the Coffin Fire, which has burned about 1.9 square miles near Lewiston, CalFire spokeswoman Mickie Jakez said. The mountain community 30 miles west of Redding is home to 1,300 people.

Authorities arrested a person suspected of sparking the fire by throwing out a lit cigarette, officials said. The blaze was 40 percent contained Thursday, and firefighters hoped for complete containment Friday if winds cooperate.

Farther east, a fire covering 26 square miles forced the evacuation of 10 homes about 10 miles northwest of Burney. The Shu Fire was 70 percent contained Thursday morning.

Firefighters have nearly contained three other lightning-caused fires in Shasta and Lassen counties.

Hey Sean, All of these wild fires that have been happening in the last couple of years really are bad.  I don't know what's going on!?  Two in Bonnie Doon, two in Santa Barbara, one in Goleta.  Scary!  I hope you make it through this one unscathed.  We'll keep in touch.

Best of luck to the others in the fire danger area!

ok-it's almost 3pm. Still  no smoke or ash at my house, but the giant wall of smoke is still there down around Martin Road area. We're still at the house, but all packed and ready to leave at a moment's notice (kayaks are loaded up).
The weather will hopefully assist the control effort tomorrow.
Thanks so much for all of the thoughts & offers of refuge! We've got plenty of options for the next few days if we have to stay away.
-Sean

Good Luck Shawn,
Hope all ends well for you
Eric

Thanks for checkin in, Sean.  I'm glad you and the family are ok.

Keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't get bad for you.

Hope all goes well Sean

kayaks are loaded up

Hope you loaded your Artwork first.

Thanks Eric B. I've had lots of virtual support here, it's amazing. Aside from whats posted here, MBK Aaron (halibut king now) and BigWaveDave both contacted me to offer refuge, and I've had a handful of other PM's too. Mad props to all of you. I think I'll need to throw a fishing party when this is all over to say thank you. At least a free beer each at take-out next day we fish.

Hope all goes well Sean

kayaks are loaded up

Hope you loaded your Artwork first.

I sure did Mike! (actually the fishing stuff went in first, artwork went in second). It was very nice to have the whole morning to load the cars (as opposed to the Martin fire when we had, oh, 15 minutes or so)
I have to admit, when you think about "important stuff" and all of your stuff fits in 2 trucks, it is sort of liberating!

6:22 and the house still has power, that is a good sign. I however, am now at my office after the sheriff came to the door and politely said "it's that time-roll on out".
I stuffed all the frozen halibut I could into a cooler & it is now safely stashed in a frozen secret location (i worked darn hard for that stuff!)

All the best Piscean!!

Z

Best of luck and let us know if you need anything 415-578-8258 we'll be down there. Ben

Good luck Sean. We have our fingers and toes crossed for you guys.
If ya REALLY want to get away there is always a place here in Placerville for ya.
And we am not just sucking up for the free beer either. We mean it.

When I first heard about the Bonny Doon fire, I immediately thought of Sean because he's the only one I know who lives there.

Sean... I'm glad you're okay and we're wishing the best for you!

Sean, its all been said. With that, I hope you and all you know in the area are OK.I googled Bonny Doon just last week before the fire and thought that I would like to live there someday. Now its on fire. Good energy out to you from here. Craig