Like a scene out of "Dante's Peak"...
I wanted to post last night, but things were too crazy. I'd say yesterday was the worst so far. All day the sky was black from ash. You'd look up to the sun and there was an ominous red circle. The fire got so close...
At about 9:30pm my Mom shouted from the lawn that I needed to go outside and look at the fire. Remember, I live on 9th and San Antonio. I ran outside, and I could see the fire. VERY WELL. Ash rained down like snow. At this point there was about 3 inches of ash over everything in sight. I told my Mom I wanted to see it, to see how far down it had come. I ran inside and grabbed my camera, my bag and my press pass. I knew Euclid and Mountain had been shut down hours earlier, so I went up Benson. My plan was just to go to Baseline (right off the 210) and pull over and see how bad things looked up the hill. There was so much chaos on the streets. A never-ending trail of cars South AND North bound, and people stopped all along Baseline to look. There were no cops I saw, so I kept going up Benson. I passed the homes of friends...Avi, Doug, Justin, and made it into Mountain View Park (my old neighborhood) through the backway. That is 23rd and Mountain. EVERYONE was outside. Looking, talking, running around and packing their cars. I knew Emily's family had already left, but I wanted to check on Kevin (Baker). I pulled up and he was running around outside with someone, ash was blowing everywhere and the fire was RIGHT THERE...maybe 1-2 miles away. I parked, got out and he looked so surprised and happy to see me (I havent seen him since before Shaun and I broke up). The person who was with him turned around and it was Justin (Heath). Turns out Kevin's parents were in San Diego, and he was having to evacuate the house himself. I was so worried about them, but I felt better when I saw them together...
I offered to stay and help, but K said he was ok, and we offered a place to stay and anything else if they needed it. I wanted to get closer so I drove up through Upland Summit to 24th (Mountain was blocked off and a mess) and the fire was right there. We got as high as Flower's Field and there was just too much chaos. People everywhere, all over the streets running around, cars gridlocked, honking, people yelling, ash everywhere, sirens and flashing lights, police on loudspeakers...and the fire. If any of you know where the Dam is just above 24th, it was right there.
I checked on all my friends and offered anything you needed. And, yes, the house that has the Star was lost. It burned last night...confirmed....by Shaun who saw it burn.
This is all so surreal...all the ash...this morning I had the open at Starbuck's at 5am, and all morning it looked like Nuclear Winter outside. Everyone is wearing masks.
There is so much more I could say, but I am just kind of drained and in shock. If you have specific questions, ask me, I'll answer them for all of you who are away. I hope they contain this soon. This is good for no one.
My throat and eyes and nose burn and hurt from all the smoke. I need a mask.
At about 9:30pm my Mom shouted from the lawn that I needed to go outside and look at the fire. Remember, I live on 9th and San Antonio. I ran outside, and I could see the fire. VERY WELL. Ash rained down like snow. At this point there was about 3 inches of ash over everything in sight. I told my Mom I wanted to see it, to see how far down it had come. I ran inside and grabbed my camera, my bag and my press pass. I knew Euclid and Mountain had been shut down hours earlier, so I went up Benson. My plan was just to go to Baseline (right off the 210) and pull over and see how bad things looked up the hill. There was so much chaos on the streets. A never-ending trail of cars South AND North bound, and people stopped all along Baseline to look. There were no cops I saw, so I kept going up Benson. I passed the homes of friends...Avi, Doug, Justin, and made it into Mountain View Park (my old neighborhood) through the backway. That is 23rd and Mountain. EVERYONE was outside. Looking, talking, running around and packing their cars. I knew Emily's family had already left, but I wanted to check on Kevin (Baker). I pulled up and he was running around outside with someone, ash was blowing everywhere and the fire was RIGHT THERE...maybe 1-2 miles away. I parked, got out and he looked so surprised and happy to see me (I havent seen him since before Shaun and I broke up). The person who was with him turned around and it was Justin (Heath). Turns out Kevin's parents were in San Diego, and he was having to evacuate the house himself. I was so worried about them, but I felt better when I saw them together...
I offered to stay and help, but K said he was ok, and we offered a place to stay and anything else if they needed it. I wanted to get closer so I drove up through Upland Summit to 24th (Mountain was blocked off and a mess) and the fire was right there. We got as high as Flower's Field and there was just too much chaos. People everywhere, all over the streets running around, cars gridlocked, honking, people yelling, ash everywhere, sirens and flashing lights, police on loudspeakers...and the fire. If any of you know where the Dam is just above 24th, it was right there.
I checked on all my friends and offered anything you needed. And, yes, the house that has the Star was lost. It burned last night...confirmed....by Shaun who saw it burn.
This is all so surreal...all the ash...this morning I had the open at Starbuck's at 5am, and all morning it looked like Nuclear Winter outside. Everyone is wearing masks.
There is so much more I could say, but I am just kind of drained and in shock. If you have specific questions, ask me, I'll answer them for all of you who are away. I hope they contain this soon. This is good for no one.
My throat and eyes and nose burn and hurt from all the smoke. I need a mask.