Saturday, August 25, 2012

A wild week

It's been a wild week here on our Ridge. Saturday, August 18th, my second sons 8th birthday. We had to make a trip to town for some groceries, and on our way back home we saw that  a fire had started down at the bottom end of our canyon.

there is actually a canyon beyond these trees in front, the smoke is on the other side of it


The fire headed North and destructed one of our favorite places, the tiny town of Manton. Lots of wonderful memories of this place. My dh and I lived here on and off for the first few years of our marriage. My dh spent many grow up years here. It's so sad to see such a beautiful area burned.

again, there is a canyon between us and that other ridge


Then the winds turned and the starting spot of the fire took off up our canyon. It jumped the creek and headed right for us.

The fire crews were so very wonderful. I want to thank all of them. Especially Mognus Johnson, who saved our house and property.

Our property has changed, new roads have been put it, fire lines around the place, lots of brushed cleared by the CAT crews, lots of sweat and work went into saving our house. And I am so very thankful.

This picture is taken right outside my kitchen window. When the CATs first started working, see the fire truck in the background?!



Here is a picture taken in almost the same spot as the one above, showing the road the CAT made that goes around our house to the right and to the Hwy to the left of the trees.


The fire went raging  up the canyon to the East. This is the fourth big fire in our area, this past month.
this picture shows gray spots on the opposite ridge there, where the fire had burned


Here are some before and after pictures.

The first two are of some of the brush/trees on the down slope of our ridge, heading into the canyon, taken a year or so ago.



Here is some of that same land after the CAT had made a fire line.


Here's the ridge on the other side of the canyon, a year or so ago.


And here it is now.


Below our fire line the CATs made, there is burned brush. The fire came right up to the fire line, but it was slow burning and didn't hurt many trees.

As of this morning, this fire is 74% contained. One of the others fires is complete out, another is only 55% contained, I'm not sure about the 4th one.

I am hoping to get back to some sewing, now that the excitement and stress are all over with.
I have my 4square quilt top to take a picture of and show you.
I also have some quilt Auntie blocks I'm making and sending out to the piecer.

Hope all is well with you.

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6 comments:

Scrapatches said...

Dear Dorian ... I am so thankful that you and your family are okay and that your home was saved. I am so sad to see and hear about the destruction to the town of Manton and homes of others and to the forests and wildlife ... {{{{{{hugs}}}}}} Pat

Barb said...

I am so glad that your home was saved...what mass destruction...so sorry.

evelyn said...

I am thankful that you, your family, and home are safe.

Karen M said...

I am so glad that you were so well taken care of and that you are all safe. What a terrible experience you have had.

Dawn said...

I wondered how close the fires were to you when I saw those listed by Cal Fire. I know exactly how scary that is. Last month we had the same thing happen with the 27,000 acre Robber's Fire in the American River Canyon near Colfax. The closest it got was 3 miles but 3 miles as the crow flies takes a very short time to burn if the wind changes. It was a very long and stressful 10 days as we stood by on evac alert. This was the 2nd time in 11 years this has happened but I don't have to tell you, Dorian, that even once in a lifetime is too much for this kind of disaster. I can not send enough prayers to the more than 2,000 fire fighters who fought day and night to hold the fire back and did such a great job. I will never begrudge paying taxes to the fire district who protects our house and property because they work tirelessly around the clock in steep, rugged terrain and risk their lives to keep us safe. I am so very glad to hear that your house was saved from destruction. I don't know about you but I love living in the counrty with the exception of fire season. :( Glad you are all safe. :)

Michele said...

Wow. I'm really glad you and your house are all right. This has been one rough year for everyone in that regard. My hubs is a firefighter so I understand.

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