I remember growing up in Orange County in the 60s and 70s, my father hosing down our roof and property even every time there was a fire with the Santa Ana winds. Of course,they had the station wagon packed with important papers and photos as well as a little clothing in case we needed to immediately leave. It was a scary time for a child and I feel for everybody near the fires now.
Oh my, my sibling just got evacuated from the office and is trying to get home. The chat pictures show embers flying everywhere and fire along 15 south of 76 so will need to find a different way home. Wowser. Those California fires are just so scary. Another sibling was fortunate and their house survived the fires in Altadena decades ago.
@momofthreeboys - the live feed from local news looks scary. I hope your sibling gets away from the area safely. We have several people in my office that live up that way so they have already left. Our office is about 20 miles from the fire.
There was video today of downtown Ojai and all the stores were closed and the streets were deserted except for the gas stations.
This is just terrifying. To those in the vicinity, best wishes and thoughts for no wind plus rain/fog beaming your way.
In 1947, Maine experienced catastrophic fires all over the state after a severe period of drought, and entire towns burned. In Bar Harbor, people were literally evacuated by boat. The landscape of Acadia was permanently altered, as old-growth evergreen forests burned and were eventually replaced in some areas by deciduous trees like birch. Histoic mansions were destroyed. This, BTW, is what gave Acadia its wonderful landscape of bare peaks overlooking the ocean. In some places in York County, including Kennebunk, it seemed as if people might actually be driven onto the beach to survive, although crews managed to save the town center. In some York County towns, all of the structures date to after the fire, because the historic buildings from the 17th century through 1947 were all destroyed.
It’s pretty much unthinkable to us now, but it could happen again. Not that long ago, there were huge fires in Quebec province in Canada, and our air was filled with smoke.
I’ll take a blizzard any day!
We visited UCLA and other schools around LA just two weeks ago. This is so sad and scary. Stay safe everyone!
The Lilac fire near San Diego is spreading quickly. It looks like an area were many horses will need to be evacuated.
I just saw that some horses were evacuated near the Lilac fire, but others had to be set free. Hopefully people who come to help with trailers will be able to catch the horses and get the to the Del Mar Fair grounds which is receiving livestock that are evacuated.
I have family in Ventura…theirs is one of only 3 houses (on a long street!) that survived. They are surrounded by devastation. Of course they’re lucky their home is OK… but all their neighbors, and many of their friends, are now grieving, shell-shocked… and homeless 
Warning, this made me cry. I needed a dose of humanity today though.
“Man rescues rabbit from fires, instantly restores our faith in humanity”
http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/07/us/california-wildfires-rabbit-trnd/index.html
My D has asked her boss at work if she can take tomorrow off and volunteer at the fairgrounds to take care of horses. In the 2007 fires in San Diego our horses were evacuated. We are just heartbroken about all the horses that have died in the Lilac fire.
The smoke is just terrible here and I see golfers out there. They’ll be hacking by the end of their round.
Mr. Ellebud’s deceased parents built a home in Ojai. The fire was headed straight to their area, And this morning it was confirmed that their home and those around them didn’t make it. I hope everyone got out.
Oh @bevhills l’m sorry… so much heartbreak & loss…
So one of D’s classes at UCLA had an assignment due today. A bunch of kids emailed them to the TA, to which the TA responded, “All papers must be handed in during class. No emails accepted.” You’d think they’d be a little more flexible under the circumstances.
I truly believe that for Mr. Ellebud the sorrow and loss was about the vision of what this house might have been. These people were not “good” people. One day I might drunk type…that would be interesting.
no I’m dead
My mom is in the voluntary evacuation zone in San Diego. She came to me last night with a car full of valuables. Hopefully they will get a handle on all this soon. The wind is still quite a problem.
So sorry @bevhills.
@anomander what?! That’s ridiculous.
I’m in Michigan and I gave a student an extension because her family was in the path of the last fire and she was distraught.