On sunday the santa ana winds picked up suddenly. I had heard there was going to be some santa ana winds that weekend, but nothing new for October in Southern California. The girls and I were at a beach house not far from Malibu when the winds picked up sharply and I could smell fire. I knew we needed to pack and go back to san diego - if a fire started south of us we could be cut off from coming home.
A huge amount of ash is dumping all over the county. this is only after a few hours- after a trip to check on the house
- the orange tint is the sun shining through the smoke in the air. everyone looks like George Hamilton. very tan. They warn against playing in the ash or touching it, it may have lead paint or...you dont know what the ash is.
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This is a photo coming up our street- the humidity was 2% and 4% that is not clouds- although white smoke is better than black smoke, this is the view to the south west- ish
this is a photo to the south east of our home- too close for me. although the fires in 2003 burned right in our neighborhood and across the road. so many homes in 2003 burned in our zip code our insurance wouldnt carry us any longer.
this is a photo of driving to my parents, this is not the sunset- it is the glow of the fire to the north of us. it lights up the sky even though it was probably 15 miles north. our whole house smells like a BBQ.
sorry I cant think of anything catchy to say about the title, so tired and so sad for everyone who has had to evacuate and then come home to their home and memories burned.
we evacuated voluntarily, we didnt wait for a reverse 911 call. I thought it would be easier on the girls to leave before having 15 minutes to get out. Its so hard to know what to do when you have to move 2 little girls by yourself. we were lucky to have somewhere to go to. I was lucky to have time to pack, and we came home to our house untouched. we are lucky. we havent unpacked since a bit down the road may be evacuated tonight if the winds shift, better just stay packed one more day. :) my parents are fine, we are good, missy loved my mom and dads house :) the girls have the week off of school. we are truly blessed. we have power and phone. I am tired and sleep with the tv on, checking the fires and wind updates. we have a lot to be thankful for - thanks to everyone who has called, prayed and checked in on us. Thanks to my parents who took us in, and a two cars and listened to crickets chirp (food for the gecko) and took in a cat, gecko, hermit crab, two mice and a parakeet :) and fed us all, my dad even gave the mice cheese :)
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