Fire Fire Fire 2020

just a last update:
With the help of BigJim and his many contacts , I was able to learn yesterday that my house survived the CZU complex fire. Even got pictures of it.
It'll be a big cleanup job, but sounds like in about a month they ought to have utilities mostly restored to the unburned areas of Bonny Doon and we may be allowed to return.

some insights we learned:
our house backs up against Nichols lane. At the head of Nichols is a large, spring fed pond that was used as a "dip" by air support. That plus Nichols being an open ended lane (at both Empire Grade and Pine Flat) allowed firefighters an avenue of escape without fear of being trapped. This is probably why the neighborhood survived when others like Conifer or Braemoore did not. The fire burned patches of grass on Nichols (as I saw on our crazy run up there Saturday) but never took hold.
If you look at the fire map the line was held just above Nichols in the north, and wrapped around burning both to the East along Empire Grade and West of us over on Comstock. There's one tiny bite out of the line, and that is where my house is.

We allowed friends up there to take our spare gasoline for their pumps on Sunday as they were running out with active fire still around them. I'll be storing a bit more fuel in a bunker from now on.

Of the folks I know personally on the mountain, three lost their homes but four did not.
We'll be part of the community rebuild through the winter and spring of 2021.
To Fire personnel and First Responders everywhere, Bonny Doon is grateful.

Thank you BigJim and NCKA for your help and kind words, and the generous offers of support in the past few days. We have good insurance for the time we are displaced, so should come out of this situation not much the worse for wear.

just a last update:
With the help of BigJim and his many contacts , I was able to learn yesterday that my house survived the CZU complex fire. Even got pictures of it.
It'll be a big cleanup job, but sounds like in about a month they ought to have utilities mostly restored to the unburned areas of Bonny Doon and we may be allowed to return.

some insights we learned:
our house backs up against Nichols lane. At the head of Nichols is a large, spring fed pond that was used as a "dip" by air support. That plus Nichols being an open ended lane (at both Empire Grade and Pine Flat) allowed firefighters an avenue of escape without fear of being trapped. This is probably why the neighborhood survived when others like Conifer or Braemoore did not. The fire burned patches of grass on Nichols (as I saw on our crazy run up there Saturday) but never took hold.
If you look at the fire map the line was held just above Nichols in the north, and wrapped around burning both to the East along Empire Grade and West of us over on Comstock. There's one tiny bite out of the line, and that is where my house is.

We allowed friends up there to take our spare gasoline for their pumps on Sunday as they were running out with active fire still around them. I'll be storing a bit more fuel in a bunker from now on.

Of the folks I know personally on the mountain, three lost their homes but four did not.
We'll be part of the community rebuild through the winter and spring of 2021.
To Fire personnel and First Responders everywhere, Bonny Doon is grateful.

Thank you BigJim and NCKA for your help and kind words, and the generous offers of support in the past few days. We have good insurance for the time we are displaced, so should come out of this situation not much the worse for wear.

Happy outcome for you and Laura!!

Thanks for some good news amidst the opposite

Great news!

One of my wife's friends lives in Bonny Doon (on Warren Dr., I believe), and their house survived, but they say that houses as close as a few hundred yards away burned.

 
My little town of Felton survived! With possibility of only a few houses maybe at the top of our neighborhood that didn't Grateful the fire seems to have not passed the fire lines and  "Burntout" According to Cal fire briefing a few days ago. 
 Still, probably a week or more out till evac order might get lifted for Felton 

just a last update:
With the help of BigJim and his many contacts , I was able to learn yesterday that my house survived the CZU complex fire. Even got pictures of it.
It'll be a big cleanup job, but sounds like in about a month they ought to have utilities mostly restored to the unburned areas of Bonny Doon and we may be allowed to return.

some insights we learned:
our house backs up against Nichols lane. At the head of Nichols is a large, spring fed pond that was used as a "dip" by air support. That plus Nichols being an open ended lane (at both Empire Grade and Pine Flat) allowed firefighters an avenue of escape without fear of being trapped. This is probably why the neighborhood survived when others like Conifer or Braemoore did not. The fire burned patches of grass on Nichols (as I saw on our crazy run up there Saturday) but never took hold.
If you look at the fire map the line was held just above Nichols in the north, and wrapped around burning both to the East along Empire Grade and West of us over on Comstock. There's one tiny bite out of the line, and that is where my house is.

We allowed friends up there to take our spare gasoline for their pumps on Sunday as they were running out with active fire still around them. I'll be storing a bit more fuel in a bunker from now on.

Of the folks I know personally on the mountain, three lost their homes but four did not.
We'll be part of the community rebuild through the winter and spring of 2021.
To Fire personnel and First Responders everywhere, Bonny Doon is grateful.

Thank you BigJim and NCKA for your help and kind words, and the generous offers of support in the past few days. We have good insurance for the time we are displaced, so should come out of this situation not much the worse for wear.

Man Sean...I totally freaked out and teared up when I saw the text come through that your home was still standing. 

When I woke up Tuesday AM I saw I had gotten a text late at night from my buddy (firefighter, diver, surfer, NCKA member, all around Waterman) letting me know that he had just spent 3 days up in Bonny Doon helping protect his friend's neighborhood and was home safe now.

I texted him back and told him when he woke up to hit me up and that I had some fresh fish for him.

When he got back to me I got some more details about the work he and other off-duty firefighter and community members had been doing up there...his buddies had been at it for days, and had saved at least a dozen homes...

I told him PISCEAN's house was up there and he asked for the address...said he hadn't been working in that neighborhood but knew that other guys had been...sent me some pics of maps showing where the fire was, and said would try and get a hold of someone to check on Sean's house...

By 10am he had texted back and said had gotten address to his buddy who was up there, and said he would try and get over to the property to check on it and take some pics...

At 540pm my phone went off with pics of Sean's house and the message "Your buddy's house is all good. Here are some pics."

 

Instantly texted Sean to relay the good news.

I know a LOT of people have lost everything, but I think it is super important to also focus on the positive stuff...especially this year when there are so many horrible, depressing things going on.

Sean, my whole family sends you and Laura big virtual hugs and all of our love. When you get back up there if there is work that we can help with please just let us know.

 

Sincerely,

Jim

ps...not posting my buddy's name cuz don't want to risk getting him in any "trouble" for working while off duty in an evacuated zone....but he's a personal hero of mine, not just for the firefighting but how he lives his life in general...

He went to the Albion tourney with me one year, and is a fine example of a low-key NCKA member doing what he can to help others out when possible. #payitforward 

That's ONE good ending for a good person and his family! Great news to hear Sean! hope the recovery time is shorter than expected.

Good news indeed!
I grew up in Santa Cruz, so I know of the areas you speak of Sean.

Fantastic news, Sean.

Volunteered with World Central Kitchen in Santa Cruz Wednesday and Thursday to help make meals for fire personnel and evacuees. Several of the volunteers were evacuees themselves. https://wck.volunteerhub.com/lp/norcal-fires

Fantastic news, Sean.

Volunteered with World Central Kitchen in Santa Cruz Wednesday and Thursday to help make meals for fire personnel and evacuees. Several of the volunteers were evacuees themselves. https://wck.volunteerhub.com/lp/norcal-fires

That is awesome Aaron! thanks for the link, we just signed up for a 4hr delivery shift.

we're just waiting now for the reoccupation notice. We will be among the last but are hoping it will be before month end. PG&E is already working on power infrastructure, and Caltrans and SC public works are inspecting roadways and properties.
 
Neighbors are walking the fireline with wheelbarrows as anyone in a vehicle is being stopped by law enforcement and escorted off the mountain.

We received your excellent news text message on our way up to Shelter Cove. I was so relieved to hear this right before going dark(out of cell range). It literally made my trip that much more enjoyable. I can't convey how excited Chels and I were to hear that. I felt like I was stressing out for you. Can't even imagine how you must have felt. You are truely blessed my friend. Good to hear you are paying it forward to those less fortunate than yourselves.

WOW Great News, Sean!!!
So glad to hear some of good news.
Hope you can go back home soon.

CalFire air attack on Napa and Sonoma incidents

Is that somewhere the rest of us can look at?

https://www.flightradar24.com/

fun to watch the planes working the fires

If you're interested in a less corporate site, https://globe.adsbexchange.com/ is really good.  The data are collected in the same way flightradar24 collects their data -- from ads-b receivers that upload the data.

Well 2020 continues to kick our butts!

Nice offer.  I left it.  I’m out.

But thanks for watching out.   It will be the first thing I replace.  Right after socks/underwear.

Be safe neighbors.