The California wildfires are sufficiently distant from where I live that my mom and I are in no immediate danger.
Our biggest problem has been from a fire about thirty miles away to the NNE, some of the smoke from that one has reached us and produced virulent hayfever-like reations. Any wildfire in SoCal is undoubtedly burning a certain amount of poison oak since it grows everywhere here, so that added to the other irritants in smoke is really hard on chronic asthma and sinusitis sufferers like me.
Still, with over 200,000 evacuees in SoCal, Mom and I are relatively lucky. Only one SoCal county, all-desert Imperial, is not in the disaster area. Spend a few good thoughts today for people and their homes that ae being affected by this.
So far, power and connectivity have not been affected here or in LA, so BCTS is secure.
Hugs,
Erin
Comments
All the best
...and let's hope that it doesn't get any worse.
My thoughts are with you and your mum.
Nick
If I even though of going there.
I have industrial Asthma and sometimes the tinyest wiff of perfume or kitchen cleaner sends me over the edge. I have been on a number of relief missions but I would not even think of going to SoCal right now.
I guess the area around monterey has burned several times and it sort of makes me wonder why they don't put a dedicated sea water fire sysem in.
Gwenellen
Public opinion
To answer the second first, it's due to the necessity of getting the public to pay for it. I have heard more than a few people around here proclaim their lack of sympathy for the people who's million dollar homes are burning. I suspect it's much the same out there: "You want me to pay to protect those rich people? No Way!" Not until it's their homes threatened. Of course, then its too late . . .
The Red Cross is calling up volunteers around here to assist in relief efforts. Several DRVs are headed out tonight, with more leaving in the next several days. I had to decline myself because of my decreased lung function. I'll have to be content to provide whatever support the local chapter needs in this area.
Commercial: if you want to help the people in CA, you can make a donation to the National American Red Cross and earmark it for California Fire Relief. The Red Cross has strengthened controls over donations, and earmarked donations WILL be used for that purpose only.
Karen J.
"Being a girl is wonderful and to torture someone into that would be like the exact opposite of what it's like. I don’t know how anyone could act that way."
College Girl - poetheather
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb