[garrettwc]

Haven't seen posts for 3-4 days.

Wonder if he had to bug out? Hope all of our SoCal members are safe and sound. Bad times out there based on the network news broadcasts.

Prayers going up for your safety.

[50 Shooter]

I think he lives down near O.C., so he should be safe. The local media is having a field day with the fires, they're milking it for every last drop.

One of the guys over on Calguns posted a pic with the smoke almost at his doorstep.:what:

[4v50 Gary]

Got an email from him the other day. He's out doing good deeds for a good person.

[Schuey2002]

He dropped by here yesterday..;)

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46641

[garrettwc]

Thanks Schuey, I missed that one I guess.

Prayers and best wishes to other SoCal folks still stands. Reports say some of them had 5 minutes warning to grab what they could and beat it.

[tcdrennen]

Skunk and the rest of us in Orange County are okay (this time) except for three days of hacking gobs of soot and the 1/4" of ash all over everything.

A couple of San Diego and San Bernardino folks on Calguns.net (http://calguns.net) have reported having to evacuate; at least one returned to find his home okay today.

West End Gun Club in Meyer Canyon and the Lytle Creek range are both within the Grand Prix fire burn area; no one has been permitted up the road to evaluate damage yet.

[Soap]

The Skunk is on another black-ops mission. I could tell you, but I would have to kill you. :)

[Elmer Snerd]

How much can you tell us and just have to wound us? :D

[El Tejon]

Skunk's a THR member. He'll make out just fine.:)

[4v50 Gary]

Skunk is on a black ops mission? You mean he started the fire while demonstrating the use of flash-bangs or from too much tracer in too dry an area?

[Skunkabilly]

Hey yawl.

I keep telling people from out of the area that our four seasons are fires, earthquakes riots and mudslides.

Haven't seen the sun since Thursday, but it's getting better. Saturday and Sunday were pretty bad. TCDrennen and I are pretty far from the fires but I'm keeping the SHTF pack handy. Even if I had to bug out I think I could fit literally everything I own but the mattress, cookware and gun safe in my Crisis Response Vehicle :cool:

Oh I have THR on wheels now. Anywhere I bring my notebook and can get cell phone coverage, I'm on :D

Skunk is on a black ops mission? You mean he started the fire while demonstrating the use of flash-bangs or from too much tracer in too dry an area?

Actually it was Taco Bell :o (which explains where I've been the last few days...)

[10-Ring]

Yeah, these fires really suck & to think somebody intentionally started them really sickens me :cuss: Breathing ash & smoke the last few days can really help one appreciate a mere stage 2 smog alert!

[Kevlarman]

I woke up yesterday to the sight of my drapes colored dark orange, and feared the worst! Turns out that just the sky was yellow from all the soot.
*whew*

Still, if the fire isn't out by Saturday morning, I'm going to have to find another way to Lancaster, as the 15 and 138 are closed.

[Skunkabilly]

Kevlarman, how bad is it out there?

One of my coworkers retired about a month ago and his house just burnt down :fire:

[twoblink]

Skunky is like Smoky the Bear.. He'll make it through ok..

Heard from a friend my old house is no longer there.. Glad it's my OLD house...

10-Ring.. People who start fires, should be given the Chinese Water Torture...:fire:

[Mgraff]

Good luck to those in So. Ca. having fought fires professionallly all over the US for 10 years I gotta say nothing gets more f***ed up than a fire in So. Ca., between the fuels and the people and the politics it is wonder the damn things ever get put out! Seems like Malibu '93 all over again. Best of luck and remember most of the time the best escape route is to leave earily!, and for what it is worth a little prefire work on preparing a defenseable space around your house is worth it. Makes the firefighter's job doable, and please quit building in the canyons, it is a death trap when it burns! :mad:

Best of luck

[jato]

Valley Center lost a great number of homes and two lives (and one more in critical). San Diego County is still on fire.

Many areas were evacuated. I had my wife and kids leave while I was out working the fire. The fire started towards my house, but turned away. I have never seen it this bad. Looters are now coming into the area.

Preparedness is key. The area is on it's 3rd day of lockdown. Electricity has been off and on for my house. Some houses have been without power since Sunday morning.

For everyone... please remember to keep at least 5 days of food & water on hand. You never know what might happen. The Valley Center area got it's a$$ kicked inside of 60 minutes. Most people woke up to flames and smoke advancing on their homes. No time to pack, only time for most to panic.

[4v50 Gary]

Just a reminder to the rest of us to be prepared. Keep your gas tank full and have a bug out bag.

For speedy recovery be sure you have xeroxes of your important documents stored outside of your area (out of state relative & in your safety deposit box). These documents should include: bank account, birth certificate, deed/mortgage, vehicle ownership papers, insurance policies, bank accounts, investment accounts, stock certificates, business licenses), CDs of any important information in your computer (perhaps once a month update). Video tape of your home & contents (plenty of still shots and very slow panning) so as to document your loss for insurance/recovery. Don't forget having a rallying point (or telephone # you can call & leave a message like Aunt Sarah in Wyoming cuz Aunt Sarah can coordinate any reunion between you and lost ones - say you're at Shelter A and wife is a B & kids @ C.). We've discussed bug-out bags elsewhere so a search is in order.

[Kestryll]

jato, what area of Valley Center are you in? I have family down there who did the same as you, they sent the women and children down to Escondido while the men stayed to fight the fires.

[Skunkabilly]

Gary, interesting what you say about documents. After the divorce my mom moved to Hong Kong and kept my birth certificate because I'm her son :rolleyes:. I needed to buy another one so I could apply for jobs.

No one in my family seems interested in preparedness. My relatives in Claremont :eek: think that when bad people break in, they can deal with the problem by asking them to leave.

Only so much you could do. As a kid I had to convince my parents to come up with a disaster plan. We never did. :rolleyes:

Edited for stupidity :rolleyes:

[Mauserlady]

Please, please please everyone "down below" stay safe...

I can tell it's getting worse just by looking out the window here at work...

Co-worker took this picture (would be the San Bernadino fire) with her cell phone and while it doesn't do it justice, does give ya an idea of the magnitude... The mountains where the smoke is rising from are about 30-45 miles away from our parking lot...

http://www.coneville.com/mauserlady/misc/4022410757_468.jpg

The Ventura County one to the west looks about the same to us...

[Kevlarman]

Skunk, your mom took your gift certificate? :P

While I can't see the actual flames or dark smoke here in Riverside, I can certainly feel its effects. It's laking walking through a giant ashtray. Ashes and soot everywhere, and it hurts to breathe or even keep your eyes open.
I should be used to it, seeing as how I live in the Inland Empire, but no dice.

[PlayTheAces]

What a couple of days! I can walk around the corner and see the flames from the Val Verde/Simi fire and the smoke is something else. There's so much ash coming down it looks like a light snowfall.

My poor brother out by San Berdoo has had his cars packed for three days now - one moment they tell him to get ready to leave, next minute their fire heads a different direction and they tell him to stand down. Can't say it's exactly boring here in Southern Cal. Need to verify the fire rating on the safe.

[dustind]

Kevlarman beat me to it, I am laughing my butt of at that frudean slip.

Can not get a job wigthout gift certificates. :what: :neener: :D

Good luck Cali with putting out the fires, I hope at least most people get out with their lives.