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Post by olroy2044 on Jul 9, 2008 0:57:48 GMT -5
Just when firefighters and residents were starting to think that maybe the worst was over, capricious winds changed direction, gathered force, and drove the so-called Camp Fire over a wide fire break and out of control. Fire swept into the community of Concow, destroying homes, exploding propane tanks, and driving residents once again into shelters. The fire is moving toward my old home town of Paradise as I write this. Areas in the eastern and southern areas of town and the surrounding areas are under immediate threat evacuation. Areas further to the north, including my old residence, are under precautionary warning. This breakout is endangering the entire ridge community. The local hospital is evacuating critically ill patients. For the first time in my life, I resent growing old. That is my town, and my police department in danger, and I feel absolutely helpless! My heart goes out to the residents of the ridge communities. Please hold them in your thoughts and prayers. Taken at about 1:00 this afternoon in Paradise by my wife with her camera phone. This parking lot is covered with ashes.  Red sun thru the smoke-7:30 this pm  Roy |
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Post by davesworld on Jul 9, 2008 8:32:08 GMT -5
Roy, take care! what you are going through no one can describe until they have been there themselves! Couple of years ago we had similar conditions ,every one packed for evacuation and for some unknown reason the wind changed at the last moment  Hope all is good soon regards Dave |
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Post by Randy on Jul 9, 2008 11:40:58 GMT -5
My thoughts are with you and your wife Roy, please take care.
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Post by GeneW on Jul 9, 2008 13:53:35 GMT -5
Roy, I'm very sorry to hear this. I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope the wind changes direction away from your town. It must be a hellish time for all of you.
Gene
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PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Jul 9, 2008 16:26:57 GMT -5
Not good news, Roy. Let's hope you can post some good news soon.
Take care of yourself and your family. We're all thinking of you and praying for you.
PeterW
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Jul 9, 2008 22:28:01 GMT -5
Hope you make out ok and keeping our fingers crossed for you.
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mickeyobe
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Post by mickeyobe on Jul 9, 2008 23:16:22 GMT -5
Those fires are a terrible tragedy for Californians.
I am happy to hear that Canada sent personnel and a big water bomber to help.
Take care.
Everyone is pulling for you.
Mickey
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Post by olroy2044 on Jul 10, 2008 2:20:40 GMT -5
Thank you all for your concern. My wife and I are safe in here in Chico. The huge Humbolt fire of last month actually placed a mile wide firebreak between us and the active fires. This Butte Lightning Complex (Cal-Fire's term) struck on the uphill side of the Humbolt. That is where the Town of Paradise, Magalia, Concow and the other "ridge" communities are located. The latest numbers from Cal-Fire are showing 10,000 people evacuated from what they are calling "immediate threat areas." Most of these are from the Town of Paradise. 40 homes have been destroyed, with 3,800 more in imminent danger.
There are no mandatory evacuations allowed in Butte county. If residents want to stay and fight, they can do so. Many are choosing to do just that. This fire, named the "Camp" fire, is a combination of several other fires that have merged into one.
Stubborn and valiant efforts by a literal army of firefighters from all over California, other states, and Canada, have managed to hold the flames at bay at the east and north sides of town. However, that barrier is a fragile one, and subject to the whims of Mother Nature. We are very concerned about forcasted downslope winds that are expected to pick up later tonight. They are, in fact, already starting to do so in some areas. Temperatures here in the valley reached 111 degrees today, and I can only imagine what it must have been like on the fire lines.
Air-quality monitoring instruments pegged out in Paradise today at a maximum reading of 375, which was as high as the instrument would register. Anything over 175 is considered unhealthy. Ashes are falling in my front yard like snow.
All we can do at this point is hope and pray that we get a little co-operation from the weather.
Mickey, that Mars water bomber Canada sent down here is quite a machine! It is hard to imagine trying to fit that thing down into some of the canyons that are on fire.
PhotoBucket is down for maintenance right now, so will post some pix tomorrow. Roy
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2008 10:33:45 GMT -5
I think a lot of the resources for fighting your fires are staging through the Interagency Fire Center here in Boise. It coordinates fire fighting in forests and rangeland throughout the Western U.S.
Hang in there.
Wayne
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Post by nikonbob on Jul 10, 2008 11:34:50 GMT -5
Roy
Hang in there and we will keep our fingers crossed that the worst is over. Sad that such circumstances have brought the Martin Mars back to it's home airspace. I wish Canada could take credit for it being there but it is owned by a private company and likely under contract. They are magnificent machines and I hope they do some good.
Bob
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Post by olroy2044 on Jul 11, 2008 18:21:36 GMT -5
The news is mixed today. Fire activity has slowed down somewhat due to lighter than forecasted winds last night. However, re-evaluation of the threat to Paradise has resulted in increased "immediate threat" evacuations, and one fatality has been found in a burned out house in the Concow area. I am off work today, and home in Chico, where the air quality is a little better than in Oroville where I work. However the air quality in Paradise is once again in the very hazardous range. It is estimated at an "off the scale" rating of 400!Here are a few pics I shot yesterday and the day before with my Oly digital View from the roof of my workplace--that McDonald's sign is only a block away.   After losing an engine a week or so ago, this ol' horse has been in the thick of the fight whenever there has been enough visibility  This is the largest helo in the fight, and the only one using retardant rather than a water bucket. Its call sign is "Helitanker"  Extreme digital zoom  Here is a little different take on a crop-duster! Looks like the same basic platform as the one Wayne shot a few days ago. This is the aircraft of the "Air Boss" That is the name on the front of the float.  P3 Orion engines from one of Aero Union's converted Navy P3s  Roy |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2008 21:12:16 GMT -5
Interesting. I've never seen one of those Dusters configured woth floats. I always thought those planes would be good for more than dusting. The pilot sis up high with a good view and the aircraft will turn on a dime. Most nowdays run a turbine engine and they keep it would up and vary the prop pitch to control speed when working. Throttle lag on the turbine is the reason.
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Post by davesworld on Jul 12, 2008 9:26:05 GMT -5
Roy,
44 of our best fire fighters left today to help you guys, including 3 from my area, I hope they can help! Your situation is on our news every night and we are all thinking of you.
Keep safe
Dave
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