We moved from our mountain community almost three months ago. Our kids have continued attending the school in that community to finish the school year, which ended today at 12:10. A bunch of us left the school and headed to the beach for an end of school year party. As we were at the beach, we looked back in the direction of our mountain, and see smoke. There is a fire burning very near our school. Almost everyone who was at the beach with me has now been evacuated from their homes, and the rest have been warned that they will be soon. I took a friends child so she could go back and get her 6 horses. I am ill. Please, send prayers. I am waiting for my friends to show up on my doorstep to wait this thing out. It's so dry and there hasn't been a fire up there in many years. It's been a long time since I have felt so helpless.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 08:09 pm:

Many {{{HUGS}}} and prayers for your friends, Mel! How scarey! I hope no one gets hurt and damage is minimal.

By Vicki on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 08:56 pm:

Oh my how scarey!! Prayers for the community!

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 09:05 pm:

(((Hugs))) I hope everything is ok... keep us updated.

By Melanie on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 09:17 pm:

Thank you. I am staying in contact with my friends who have not yet been evacuated. They are packing up and keeping their animals close. My friend whose son is here did get her horses out, but I haven't heard more from her yet. I think the school is still okay. It is up to 300 acres and growing. It is heading towards a neighborhood where we have a lot of friends and one of our teachers.

It's very strange to watch the news and see my neighborhood and watch friends and acquaintances being interviewed.

Keep those prayers coming. We are all very nervous.

By Pamt on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 09:18 pm:

Oh dear!

By Tink on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 09:31 pm:

I've been watching the news. I didn't realize how close to you and your former community this is, Mel. Please stay safe and keep us up-to-date. You remain in my prayers.

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 10:09 pm:

{{{HUGS}}}

By Melanie on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 10:36 pm:

Yes Tink, this is my community. (Again, we are no longer living there, though). We lived about 1/2 mile from where the news crews are stationed. The house we lived in for 8.5 years, and just left 2.5 months ago, has been evacuated. I have told several friends I am leaving my front door unlocked tonight in case they need to come done in the middle of the night. I talked to one friend who is under evacuation orders, but her husband refuses to leave. I did convince him to get his wife to safety now so that if he has to leave in the middle of the night, he can just worry about getting himself out.

Thanks for the hugs and prayers. Please keep them coming. I can't tell you how worried I am about all our friends.

By Mom2three1968 on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 11:16 pm:

Prayers for you and everyone there!

By Cat on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 11:44 pm:

Praying

By Melanie on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 12:29 am:

Thanks everyone for just being there. I can't explain to you what I am feeling. I am so freaked out and am just antsy wanting to do something, but not able to do anything beyond offering poeple a place to stay. I always knew it was a matter of time before this happened and always had my personal *out* plan in place. I knew when we sold that we had dodged a bullet not having to ever evacuate. But my heart is in that community and with all the people up there. The thought that the school is in danger is so painful. I don't anticipate a lot of sleep tonight as I watch the winds and wait for families to come to my house. LOL, I think I've offered our home to 15 different families...it could get pretty cozy here. ;) Thanks for just letting me type and keep busy. I don't know what else to do.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 05:43 am:

Prayers for your community and your friends.

By Brandy on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 07:40 am:

prayers to you and all of your friends Melanie how are things this am?

By Melanie on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 07:51 am:

I don't know yet, Brandy. It's hard to get updated info through the night. The most recent report I've heard is that it is up to 900 acres and there is an unconfirmed report that one of the firestations burned. I've been listening to the helicopters all night. The winds still seem calm, although the gusts are usually higher in the upper elevations where the fire is. I believe the school is still okay. There is one neighborhood that was in danger last night and I am waiting to hear if they were able to defend it. It's almost 5:00, so I should hear from friends within a couple of hours. I'll post if I hear any more info.

By Luvn29 on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 09:26 am:

Wow! Just reading this for the first time. you and the community have many prayers from me. Please keep us updated!

By Melanie on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 10:33 am:

Thanks Adena. I am hearing the fire is making it's way into two different neighborhoods where we have 8 families from our school. One dad from the school was interviewed and said the fire was in his back yard and that his family was safe but he was still looking for his cat. My heart and soul is in that community. It was so hard for me to leave it. To know it is burning and the people, my friends and neighbors, are in danger of losing their homes is breaking my heart. I am glued to the phone, the internet, the radio and the news coverage trying to find out what is happening and who needs help. This is just devestating.

By Texannie on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 10:34 am:

No words, but heartfelt prayers for you, your friends and your community.

By Amecmom on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 11:17 am:

Continued prayers.
Ame

By Nicki on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 11:19 am:

I'm keeping your friends in my prayers, Melanie.

One of our neighbors almost lost her house to a fire two days ago. She is okay as are her many animals. It started as a grass (field) fire but due to the high winds, it could have been really tragic. They sent so many fire trucks and crews in the event the fire skipped and spread, as well as a plane with retardant. The firemen did an incredible job. I'm so grateful to the people who work so hard to protect all of us. I think this is going to be a bad year for fires in our state.:-(

I sure hope everyone will be okay, Melanie. I know how worried and helpless you must feel.

By Enchens on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 12:19 pm:

Prayesrs for all being affected.

Just wanted to know so I can keep track as well, is this the Humboldt fire or the Martin fire?

By Crystal915 on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 12:20 pm:

(((Melanie))) I can't imagine the pain you are feeling. We had tornadoes last night, but the lucky thing is they are over quickly. I can't imagine wild fires, and days or weeks of worrying.

By Melanie on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 12:37 pm:

Thank you everyone. It really helps to come here and read your kind words.

This is the Martin fire. The last I heard, it is 5% contained. There are hardly any fire hydrants up there, so they are having to bring in the water for the trucks and use the planes. Many roads are narrow and difficult to get large vehicles in and out of. It's a horrible situation.

Crystal, those tornadoes are so frightening. I've been glued to my television, so I have been watching the devastation from those as well. I am glad your family was not affected last night.

Take care everyone. And thanks again for being there.

By Dana on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 04:42 pm:

Just came online. Prayers for everyone.

By Yjja123 on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 05:08 pm:

Your friends are in my thoughts and prayers!
((((((hugs))))))

By Claire on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 07:54 pm:

Melanie I'll be thinking of everyone there.

By Melanie on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 09:17 pm:

Thanks everyone.

It's really amazing the way people come together in times like this. Everyone is staying in close contact, relaying whatever news there is to be told, making sure everyone has a place to stay and their stuff has a place to be stored. I just ran into one of the teachers who taught my boys a few years ago and we were comparing notes and talking about who has an extra room or guest house or what special supplies can be found at which house. The community is truly coming together.

I heard one incredible story about our firefighters. They stayed to defend a house until the last possible second. The entire property is destroyed, except for the house. It has damage, but it is standing. The firefighters actually had to run and jump into the neighbors pool to save themselves in their effort to save the house. They are truly my heroes.

Also, the fire station is okay. It is burned all around it, but the building is still there.

The situation is still very bad and a lot of homes are in danger. But we have had a lot of good news coming out so far. And everyone I have talked to is holding it together and trying to keep it all in perspective: it is just stuff, and we all moved there knowing this was a very real possibility. And we know that the community will come together to repair whatever needs to be done when this is over.

Keep those prayers coming. We need all the help we can get.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 09:21 pm:

Prayers...

By Colette on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 09:37 pm:

((Melanie))

By Melanie on Friday, June 13, 2008 - 12:30 am:

I just got word that ten houses have burned. But it is now 25% contained and they are hoping, if the winds cooperate tonight, to have a handle on it by tomorrow night. The fog is moving in, which is great, although it will probably also mean a shift in the wind. Hopefully all will go good tonight.

By Karen~admin on Friday, June 13, 2008 - 06:48 am:

How tragic. :-( I am so sorry. Many prayers for all of you.

By Rayanne on Friday, June 13, 2008 - 09:51 am:

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

By Tunnia on Friday, June 13, 2008 - 02:19 pm:

How scary and sad! Lots and lots of prayers for you, your friends, and your old neighborhood!

By Melanie on Friday, June 13, 2008 - 03:14 pm:

Thanks again everyone. The weather has really cooperated and the fire crews are making great progress. Although we have lost 10 houses, it had potential to be so much more. The wind can really whip around that mountain, but it has been very calm since the start of the fire. There is talk that some residents will be allowed to return home later today. I have found a chat area on one of the local news websites, and it has been great for sharing information.

The spirits of the residents are surprisingly high and optimistic with everyone counting their blessings that this wasn't worse and they have a chance to go back to their homes and clear the brush away from their homes before this happens again. We have had no rain since February and won't get any until November, so it is incredibly dry and will be very dangerous all summer. But at least people have a heightened sensitivity to it now and will take every precaution they can.

We are all breathing easier today. The fire crews have done an amazing job.

By Karen~admin on Saturday, June 14, 2008 - 08:04 am:

Melanie, I'm so glad to hear it wasn't worse than it is. I feel badly for anyone who loses their home to the fires you guys deal with every year.

RE: The chat board on the news website: When we were evacuated for Katrina in 2005, that was the ONLY way I could get any *real* information about what was going on in the different neighborhoods when we were stuck in Memphis for 11 days. The main issue was, many people were criticizing the station for not posting regular updates about any area OTHER than the ones where the levees broke. But those chat boards on the news sites can be a wealth of information, since people who are LIVING it are posting.

You have the rest of the summer to get through; I pray that this doesn't happen again in your area.

By Melanie on Saturday, June 14, 2008 - 11:17 am:

Karen, that chat board was an amazing source of information. We had someone from the station moderating it who had access to information so she could answer many questions. The residents were on there-some at there homes, some waiting off the mountain trying to find out the status of their neighborhoods. There was always someone who could answer a question about a neighborhood or where to find information. It was difficult to step away from the screen for a while.

The good news for our community is that a huge wake-up call has been issued. We have all known this would happen at some point. We were very fortunate that it started around one of the least populated areas and that many of the homes that were threatened did have defensible space, giving the firefighters a chance to get in there and protect them. But there is a lot of work to be done to clear brush and dead trees. The danger is not over. There is a lot of space up there that did not burn and it is very hot and dry this year. The residents have a chance to act now and do everything they can to protect their homes. Everyone is counting their blessings today and ready to get to work.

I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am to the firefighters. We just have a volunteer staff up there and they worked 36 hour shifts right along with all the teams that were brought in, defending their community. I've heard so many amazing stories of firefighters working with absolute passion to save a house or community. They are incredible people.

Thanks for the prayers. Unfortunately, I have a feeling much of California will be on the news a lot this summer. We already have so many fires burning, and we only officially entered Fire Season 13 days ago. This could be a very difficult year.

By Melanie on Saturday, June 14, 2008 - 09:54 pm:

One last update. The fire is essentially contained. We lost 10 structures, but only two of those were homes. WOW!!

I talked to one of the fire fighters about the rumors that the fire station had burned. He said he had made it his personal mission to make sure it didn't burn because "that would have just been embarrasing". LOL. It came very close as the winds shifted while they were at the station and the propane tank blew, but they did it.

I received an email from a friend who was out of her house for a couple of days. She is organizing a "Things we won't take with us in an evacuation" yard sale. LOL. She also told the story of a neighbor who had to leave his chickens behind. He jokingly said he left barbeque sauce by the pen because the firefighters are sure to be hungry. LOL. Okay, that one was a little morbid, but at least people are finding the humor.

Banners are being hung all around the community thanking the fire teams for their incredible efforts and a celebration is being planned in the next couple of weeks at the school to thank the fire teams, especially our volunteer fire team who were out there for 36 hour shifts along with the paid staff from other areas. They had a plan for what they would do when the mountain caught on fire and they were able to execute that plan brilliantly. If you could just see what kind of terrain and obstacles these firemen were facing, you would be in awe that only two homes were lost.

Thank you again for all your prayers and kind words the past few days. It was so hard to just sit and wait and I really needed all of you. Thanks for being there. (((HUG)))