Los Angeles Wildfires

[Murfreesboro]

I'm especially concerned about the CA wildfires because I have relatives in that area. Four cousins and their adult children, so, households all over Arcadia and Monrovia (think Pasadena). A couple of days ago I learned all of them were holed up at one cousin's house, the only one still with power. The various communities have cut power to everyone because the Santa Anas are hurricane force, and there is a real danger they could topple trees onto power lines, which could spark more fires.

I hope all of you are safe. Pray for California.

[Andybev01]

They have my thoughts and prayers indeed.

[Murfreesboro]

Thanks, Andy. My cousins are back in their homes now, but one of them told me it's been apocalyptic. Also, the air is almost unbreathable.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

I've been watching the news and the destruction that has happened is unbelievable, hopefully they will be able to get it under control soon. I heard they still don't know what is the main cause yet, but thankfully they were able to evacuate most of the people away from the area.

My kids are old enough to understand what is going on, but it's hard to explain situations like this to the younger kids around us because they just think that it can be put out like the shows on tv. We tried to tell them that they are doing everything they can to stop it, but sometimes it takes awhile, that's the simplest way we could explain it to them so they can be calm about it.

[Murfreesboro]

It's unbelievable that the entire reservoir they depend on to fight the frequent fires has been dry for nearly a year. It seems as if everybody who should have been anticipating these things just dropped the ball. I'm still worried about my extended family and some friends out there, because I haven't heard that TPTB have yet gotten a handle on this inferno.

My association with California goes way back, because my mother lived out there as a young woman in the 1930s. She came back to Arkansas only because WW2 was cranking up in Europe, and she wanted to spend time with her brothers in case they got involved in that war, which of course they eventually did. So I grew up hearing all kinds of stories about her experiences in CA long before I was born. When she took me there for the first time in 1966, we spent much of our time in the home of her friends from that era, people who actually lived in Beverly Hills.

My relatives, whom we also visited at that time, are on my father's side. His youngest sister and her husband settled in Arcadia shortly after the war. So my relatives have nothing to do with my mother's time in Southern Cal. It was just a coincidence. But Mama was always determined to keep me in touch with my father's people, no matter how far-flung they were, and those cousins have been dear to me my whole life.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Hopefully your family and friends will remain safe Murf.

I saw the before and after pictures of the Palisades area, as well as satellite pictures of the other areas that have been destroyed, and it looks like it was hit by a asteroid and the whole surface was scorched.

They also said that it's spreading, and it's reached the Hollywood hills area now, if they can't get it under control soon there is no telling how bad it will get.

[Murfreesboro]

I've been in the Hollywood Hills. Lots of well known people live up there (and if you've ever seen The Beverly Hillbillies, the mansion they show from the front at the beginning of the show is up there, too). I think the people out there must feel so helpless.

[Andybev01]

I found it oddly disconcerting that they had to abandon their cars after they had to abandon their homes and escape on foot.

I can't imagine what it must be like to literally flee with just the clothes on your back and whatever you can carry.

[Murfreesboro]

Yes, it's terrifying. I saw a video of a man encouraging his ancient FIL to walk down the hill and out of all those abandoned cars.