Morning, Steemit!
Since the last fire update over the weekend, the Mendocino Complex fire has now grown to be the biggest in Cal Fire history. It consists of two areas currently burning - the Ranch Fire and the River Fire - and combined, we've lost 283,800 acres and has grown by 80% since Friday. Although there hasn't been any reported injuries, the fire is still only at a 30% containment and has taken at least 75 homes in its path. They are estimating that it will take up until September 1 to contain the Mendocino Complex Fire.
On Monday we had another fast moving fire in Orange County - the Holy Fire. Currently at 4,000 and voluntary evacuations are in effect for Horsethief and Glen Eden counties. We've still got the Valley Fire in San Bernardino National Forrest going and two smaller fires in Riverside and San Diego counties that have both been contained.
Reports are showing 18 active fires throughout the state of California as we receive firefighters from Florida, New Zealand and Australia to help battle the blazes.
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Last week, we asked what your go-bag looks like. The number one packed item was personal stuff - photos and items that hold memories that cant be replaced. These are great, and I'd definitely be sad if I lost all my photos from years ago. Personally, I have two go-bags. One with important paperwork, my passport and of course, a change of socks and underwear. The other is more of a doomsday prep bin for when the zombie apocalypse comes around complete with our camping gear, dried and canned foods, and board games. Mental health is one thing we forget about in times of high stress so I packed a little bit of everything that might help keep an idle mind busy. Who knows how long you might be evacuated from your home? Are you ready to keep yourself entertained while being holed up in an evacuation center with no privacy or place to call your own? This is when those comforts from home - a favorite blanket, photo or even candle can help you out immensely!
So, bottom line - take your valuables, pack your mortgage statement and don't forget your wallet. But I urge you to take a few minutes today to make sure you've got something sentimental, personal, or special to you that may seem trivial and stupid now but can save your sanity in an emergency.
Ive put together a small list of ideas to get you started:
Got kids? Treat their go bag like a road-trip bag. Make a small craft kit with some crayons, paper, glue, scissors, string etc., add some fun snacks and maybe a small stuffed animal or comforting toy.
Playing cards. There are SO MANY games to play, and you can get your cot-mates in the evacuation center to join in a friendly game of poker. Community is everything in these situations.
Cash. For peace of mind when the electricity goes out.
Your favorite candy. A familiar treat will give you something to look forward to after whatever it is you've been able to get your hands on food wise while on the move.
A book or two. Take the time to re-read your favorite classic. Having a way to escape, even if only in your mind will be a huge help.
Baby wipes. You'll thank me for this suggestion after you've been without power and hot water for a few days.
Phone Charger - this is one I always forget because I keep one in every room of the house and each car. Having one specific for your go bag will ensure you don't forget to pull one out of the wall on your way out. Bonus points if your car charger can also plug into a wall!!
Have you been evacuated before? What would YOU suggest to help keep your sanity during these times of high stress? Id love to hear your experiences and we'll be highlighting some commenter tips next Wednesday!
I hope you all have a great week, and stay cool whenever possible!
Thanks for the report @madpotters! I have been evacuated before, but I'm already pretty good at not stressing out. So I didn't have a problem with that. And my house survived that fire, but then got buried in a flash flood a month later! I lost almost everything I owned.
oh wow, thats insane! It really puts things into perspective - Im sure it was really devastating to lose everything but then to consider how lucky you are to have missed both major incidents with your whole being in tact....did you feel like you had too much "stuff" to lose to begin with? how did you go about rebuilding your home after losing everything? Id be anxious over losing all my plants, but in the end of the day everything is replaceable except for our health and safety.
I was only 18 so most the stuff I had was just crap anyways. Really it just sucked having to get new clothes and that kinda day to day stuff. But there was a bunch of people who helped us out. We never really rebuilt. We dug the house out of the mud, removed all the rocks and logs, and then made it somewhat hospitable. I lived there for a few years after the big flood and each winter when it rained we'd have smaller floods. And living with no gas, electricity, or running water was pretty tough. So that's when I moved here to the house I live in now. My dad still stayed up there for awhile before moving to AZ. After dad moved out I tried to fix the place up. Built a new bridge across the creek, got the utilities hooked up, and tried to get some renters. But the place was still in bad shape and the only renters I could get were not high quality and it all just turned out to be a pain in my ass. So I sold the property, but that didn't go well either. I lost $144,000 on that deal. I don't drive up Waterman canyon anymore... I don't even want to see it. ...But yeah, I survived the fires and the floods and the aftermath!!
Snap dude. That's a lot to lose. You had told me part of this story once. I didn't know the whole context. I'm glad you're in a better position now.
Fire is no joke. There's a 1400 acre fire burning just 3 miles from my house. Made the sky turn red for a couple days. If I had to evacuate the only thing I could be concerned about is my dog. Everything else can be replaced.
Are you packed and ready to go with some doggy supplies, too? Full tank of gas? 3 Miles is pretty close, how is the air quality by you? Hope you are staying safe!!! Keep us posted :)
Oh they have that fire contained. And I'd have a lot more to worry about than the house catching fire. Parachute CO has hundreds of thousands of gas wells surrounding it for hundreds of square miles. See all those sandy circles with roads leading to them? And this is a small snapshot. If you were to scroll this map you'd see this goes on for miles and miles around here. If the wells caught fire the whole country would be in trouble! The gas and oil that comes from Parachute supply 60% of the country's natural gas consumption. But they made it rain here for a couple of days and if necessary I'm sure they would have brought in the National Guard or whatever it took to put this fire out.
http://blogs.reuters.com/photographers-blog/2014/12/12/boom-and-bust-in-parachute/