One Of The Fires In So. Calif.

[VickySGV]

I took this picture of the Bobcat Fire in the hills just above Monrovia / Duarte CA.  I was outside the campus of the High School one of my grandsons attends.

[Susan R]

That’s incredible @VickySGV. It looks dangerously close. was there much wind kicking up?

[Tori M]

1 hour ago, Susan R said:

That’s incredible @VickySGV. It looks dangerously close. was there much wind kicking up?

 

Seriously!  What is your wind forecast Vicky?  Are you under a level one evac notice or anything?  I am totally shocked at how fast these fires move in high wind!  Stay safe.

[VickySGV]

2 hours ago, Susan R said:

It looks dangerously close. was there much wind kicking up?

 

I zoomed in on it, from 4.5 miles away.  The tallest flame was a sudden explosion that is probably 100' hight.  Winds are currently clocking 4 miles an hour blowing NNE back into the National Forest land and away from homes and businesses. . 

 

1 hour ago, Tori M said:

Seriously!  What is your wind forecast Vicky?

 

The winds actually are pretty light as I said above.  Undoubtedly there are some fire generated drafts working too.  Luckily we did not have much of the Santa Ana / Devil Wind condition that had been forecast buy was cancelled last night.   I am some distance from it and will have thick smoke on the ground near me again in a few hours but the wind is blowing it back into the National Forest area and not into urban ares now.  The flames are about 2600 feet above sea level, my house is at 635 above sea level. 

[Robin.C]

Stay safe and if they say evacuate, EVACUATE.

We had fires here last Christmas and spending my time on the roof with a hose was pretty crazy now I look back on it.

Hoping everyone there is safe.

 

 

[VickySGV]

1 hour ago, Robin.C said:

Stay safe and if they say evacuate, EVACUATE.

 

The fire is moving away from the areas targeted for evacuation.  My son's in-laws live in an area notified of Stage 2 Evacuation but they have not been ordered out, but can use evacuation facilities if needed a few blocks away.

[Tori M]

@VickySGV, where is your fire now?  Hoping it's still up on the mountain??  Red Flag warnings again today in s.OR and n.CA for high easterly winds.  I see mention of thunderstorms in their forecast for Thursday. ?

[VickySGV]

9 hours ago, Tori M said:

where is your fire now?  Hoping it's still up on the mountain??  Red Flag warnings again today in s.OR and n.CA for high easterly winds.  I see mention of thunderstorms in their forecast for Thursday. 

 

The fire has gotten into a couple of canyons about 4 miles above me and occupants have been evacuated.  Local, more urban Fire Departments and County departments that operate heavy digging and grading machinery have been cutting fuel breaks above the homes and businesses for several days and backfiring is on the list of options from those fuel breaks.  Primary reason for the evacuations is so Fire Retardant chemicals can be air dropped to help the situation without injuring humans or pets.  Some residents further down the hill have had their water re-directed to tanks higher up the hill to be used for fire suppression. 

[Tori M]

5 hours ago, VickySGV said:

 

The fire has gotten into a couple of canyons about 4 miles above me and occupants have been evacuated.  Local, more urban Fire Departments and County departments that operate heavy digging and grading machinery have been cutting fuel breaks above the homes and businesses for several days and backfiring is on the list of options from those fuel breaks.  Primary reason for the evacuations is so Fire Retardant chemicals can be air dropped to help the situation without injuring humans or pets.  Some residents further down the hill have had their water re-directed to tanks higher up the hill to be used for fire suppression. 

 

Glad to hear you and they are on top of things.  Sounds safe enough for being that close.  Just stay prepared to run in case the wind kicks up.  I can picture a fire on the ridge above me; that's scary.  We live on a dead-end road; no back way out of our little canyon.

Keep us posted.

[Cyndee]

I read they saved the Mt Wilson observatory area last night, as flames were just 500 feet away. Still not over.....

 

Be safe

 

C

[Tori M]

Wow, that's close!  They say this won't be over until it rains.  We're hoping for some tomorrow but nothing in sight for areas further south I fear.

[Heather Shay]

I am so worried about you ladies please be careful

[Tori M]

@VickySGV, we're getting rain, finally.  Did you happen to get any down your way?  Am assuming they're still holding your fire at bay?

[VickySGV]

2 hours ago, Tori M said:

Did you happen to get any down your way?

 

Rain is not in our forecast, and it would be unusual if it were.  A historical astronomical observatory site has been spared by a lot of work and fire prevention upgrading of the site several years ago.  Major water tank/reservoir on site.   The fire has now shifted toward the northern side of the mountains, but there are recently burned areas over there will little fuel regrown yet so it will be milder if it gets to those areas. 

[Heather Shay]

I remember working in Thousand Oaks and watching a fire near our office in 1985 and it was horrible. Please stay safe.

[Carolyn Marie]

I'm hearing on the news just now that some homes have been burned on one part of the Bobcat fire.  Terrible news.

 

Carolyn Marie