I know, it seems like we keep having so many. There is one in Northern Los Angeles, one in Santa Barbara, but the one concerning us is the one in Corona/Yorba Linda. It's burning up in the hills just a bit too close to where we live. The Santa Ana winds aren't making the firefighters' jobs any easier, either.

Did I mention I'm getting a bit nervous?

Praying that our firefighters have the strength and endurance to fight these fires.

By Mrs_B on Saturday, November 15, 2008 - 08:29 pm:

Wow Nancy, I didn't realize you lived so close! When DH and I first married we lived with a roommate about a mile from the Green River exit. And my FIL lives in Norco. Crazy fire season. I just *knew* it this morning when I woke up though. The hot weather and intense winds are the perfect mixture for a fire. Stay safe and keep us posted.

By Enchens on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 12:11 am:

Well, there is a fire in Brea as well. That one is the closest. It is 0% contained and we can see the flames coming over the hills of the homes up the hill from us. Kinda hard to explain. Dh wasn't worried at all before. Now, he's starting to get concerned. In just one hour, we went from seeing just smoke to seeing actual flames. Some firefighter crews are starting to come up the main street we use to come up to our homes. I think they are going to try to get to the fire from behind. Or would that be in front.

We are starting to pack up some things just in case. We want to get the kids in bed first. My 5 year old ds is starting to cry and get worried that something might happen to us in the fire.

I don't know if we'll sleep tonight.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 12:32 am:

Will keep firefighters and families in my prayers. I don't think I could sleep knowing the fire was that close.

By Enchens on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 01:32 am:

I'm not going to be able to get any sleep tonight, even though dh wants me to. The fire has reached Chino Hills State Park. The fire crews are going to let the fire burn over the hill across from that main street that brings us up to our homes because there is a 20 foot break where they hope to be able to battle it. It's still too close. Dh just took a pic from our bedroom window.

The boys are finally asleep. I let them sleep with their flashlights.

I'm really nervous.

http://cbs2.com/firewatch/#corona_fire

Here is the website that shows us and the fires. We are the second map. If you look at the top point of the dark blue section (which is mandatory evac.) you can see where we are. We are in the middle of the street where you see the streets that make a happy face. Like I said, too close.

By Karen~admin on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 09:06 am:

I've been wondering about all of you even remotely near the fires. I must be clueless because I didn't even realize it was so serious until I was in a store purchasing a lottery ticket yesterday and it was on the store TV! So, apologies for *that*!

Hope everyone is going to be OK! Nancy, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers, as are any others of you who are so close/or have to evacuate due to the fires.

I truly hope and pray than you all remain safe, most importantly, and don't lose homes, etc.

Please, keep us updated whenever you can!!!!!!!!

By Enchens on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 03:25 pm:

Finally able to get to the computer.

We have not evacuated in our neighborhood. There was a neighborhood across the main street that was evacuated early this am, about 4 or so. We could hear the alarm and a voice speaking in a megaphone.

The fires have merged and it's become one large one from Corona/Yorba Linda/Brea/Carbon Canyon/and now to Diamond Bar. What that means to us specifically is that it's made a "U" around where we live. The winds have been blowing west, which is away from our home. Our city hasn't had any loss of life or structures, so we are fortunate.

A friend of ours called this morning and she said she literally saw more than one hundred fire trucks heading towards the fires. She is south of where we are but they are not in any danger.

The firefighters are allowing the fires to burn the brush (there hasn't been a burn since 1980's) and they are working to keep it in a path away from people and structures. The planes dropping the flame stopping chemical have been going non-stop since daylight. We can watch them from my son's bedroom window.

There have been quite a few freeway closures, still watching the winds, really keeping an eye on the fires near the freeways to make sure the fire doesn't jump across.

We are really thanking God for our firefighters and airplane pilots working so hard.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 06:09 pm:

I hope you stay safe!

By Shellyg on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 08:50 pm:

I'm about 20 minutes from the fires. I live in the beach cities of L.A. Its so crazy all the ash in air, everything is covered in ash and there is so much smoke in the air. I'm glad your doing O.K. We had a few friends that had to evacuate.

By Karen~admin on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 08:49 am:

ALL OF YOU - Stay safe!!!!!!!!!!!

By Dana on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 10:27 am:

So scarry. I just saw it on the news this morning. I've been pretty sick with sinus infections and not online or even watching the news.

Be safe, and prayers sent.

By Cat on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 10:28 am:

I don't watch the news or read the paper, so you guys ARE my news. Everyone that's close or effected, please stay safe. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

By Annie2 on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 10:45 am:

Stay safe. Praying that the winds do not pick up and the firefighters can contain it.

By Enchens on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 11:58 am:

28,889 acres burned so far. It's 40% contained down here. They worked so hard overnight.

Our school are closed because of the air quality.

As long as the winds stay as they are, the fires should be out soon. The only thing is that now, the coastal air is going east, blowing all the junk back here. But, hey, I'll take having to stay indoors because of the air over fires any day!

Shellyg, how are things over in the LA area?

By Shellyg on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 09:55 pm:

Thanks for asking. The air quality is horrible. No outside time today for my kids school. Everyone here has a sore throat, I'm sure from all the ash we must be inhaling. I watch the news and almost cry. Those poor people who lost EVERYTHING!
I bet your kids were happy... No school!

By Enchens on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - 11:28 am:

Everything is fine now. Firefighters were watching for hotspots yesterday. All evacuation orders were lifted. We are soo glad.

My ds had swim lessons across the street from where the firefighters were refilling their trucks. It's a fire/conservation camp place. We saw over one hundred engines, lined up, getting checked out. We got to see some of the trucks as they went in to the designated area, and you could see the exhaustion on the firefighters' faces. I'm sure the majority of them had been there for 24+ hours.

Now, everything is resuming, schools are open, etc.

A huge thank you for our awesome firefighters and prayers to those who will now need to start over.

By Happynerdmom on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - 11:34 am:

Whew! Glad everything is okay!