This morning I heard that the Camp Fire moved at 100 yards per second. What exactly is our evacuation plan here in town? Specifically have fire personnel coordinated with CHP or CalTrans? Should there be a text alert system that we can sign up for here in town? Should someone be partnering with ANF and/or property owners to establish a defensible perimeter around town? This is all very scary.
Fire storms should be scary and terrifying...since we live in a an area that is surrounded by wildfire and large concentrations of trees and brush and few ways in and out.....I'm worried. You can sign up for reverse 911 for alerts at the San Bernardino County Sheriff's site and they will text weather and fire warnings and evacuations to your cell phone.
Great idea about defensible perimeter but in a fire storm, fires jump 8 lanes of freeway with a single spark. There was some great work done in Lone Pine Canyon years ago by SBNF and it stopped the spread of the Sheep Fire in it's tracks and still worked when the last Blue Cut fire came with five minutes of overrunning Wrightwood. Wrightwood has had some very close calls in past years. The Blue Cut came withing minutes of becoming seated in the big timber of town. Aircraft and favorable wind was the only saving grace. Best deal is to leave when you get the evacuation notice. Don't pretend, like so many, that they are going to stay to "protect their homes" in the face of 200 foot flame lengths and temperatures that melt cars into molten metal and they will "know" when it's time to leave. Once the evacuation order is given, there will not be a second one for those who ignored the first. Sadly, the media is making a big deal about those who ignore evac notices but the CAMP fire and Malibu should be fair warning of what happens when too many people try to leave on narrow mountain roads surrounded by fuels and fires that are burning at temperatures approaching that of the Sun.
Have a plan on what your family will do...what you plan on taking and a realistic game plan with two ways out. I've responded and fought hundreds of wildland fires over the past 46 years and I left when Blue Cut got with a mile of my house in a matter of minutes. Although, I was technically on duty as a PIO, I never went back in after evacuating our 8 horses and three dogs. The fire does not discriminate because I am wearing nomex....it simply burns whatever it can. Be concerned but more importantly, prepare yourself and your household to leave when the time comes. Leaving early....when the roads are clear of smoke and fire and knowing the two main ways out of town on Hwy 2, is the key to success and living to have a good story to tell.
