Comments on: Fire In Ojai

By: Suebob

Suebob — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:38:35 +0000

We see fire as destructive, but wildfire is a necessary part of the cycle. Many seeds don’t sprout without fire to scarify them. Many plants won’t grow if an area is vegetation-choked from years and years without fire. All that ash? Fertilizer.

I know it is scary, and hot and chokey, but fire is more necessary than we are.

By: Helga von porno

Helga von porno — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 18:23:41 +0000

Every woman and man is started by human carelessness

By: birchsprite

birchsprite — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 11:03:05 +0000

Glad it’s all over.

So sad that through human negligence so much habitat and wildlife should be destroyed.

By: Problem Child Bride aka wirepeach

Problem Child Bride aka wirepeach — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 18:37:49 +0000

Thanks for your messages, all – the danger is passed and the fire is out, but not before burning 162,000 acres of forest and scrub. It touched on the Condor National Refuge area but the wind was kind, blew the other way, for the most part, and the fire didn’t actually destroy too much of that.

In Lockville Valley, just to the North of us there was even a fire-storm, which is like a huge tornado-like fire that is so hot it will ignite trees and bushes nearby just by the ferocity of its heat, no wind or flying embers needed.

A much needed rain-shower on Monday broke the back of the thing putting paid to the worst of it and I think they are just mopping up now. They’ve started to send some of the 4000 strong force of firefighters home anyway. These people are amazing for what they do.

It was the 4th biggest wild-fire in recorded California history which is long and fiery indeed. One night we could see the flames crest the mountain and the sky lit up with orange. During the days the sky was dark, like the photo and we had to stay in out of the smoke and the ash falling everywhere. In the East End of town people were shovelling up drifts of ash, only to have a fresh bunch snow down. In the West, where we are, it was lighter but put a substantial, fresh layer on the car every morning.

I think the whole thing lasted about 3 weeks. They evacuated areas of Upper Ojai but, although it was definitely creepy and unsettling, I didn’t have too many fears about our own house: the directio it was coming from meant that it would have had to burn up the entire town of Ojai (popn. about 8000) and that would be unprecedented. The fire-fighters are mainly concerned with property damage, they held public meetings about it every night and they would have coated the whole town in retardant before letting that happen – they did coat a school and some houses in the East end of town as it was. Just in case.

Danger passed. No harm to humans, but countless wildlife perished or were displaced. It was started by human carelessness – some bloke in his back yard.

By: fatmammycat

fatmammycat — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 17:00:08 +0000

God Sam, I know I moan about the weather here-I like moaning- but I don’t envy you the fear of losing everything you own one little bit. Naturally I’d be burned alive dithering over which of my shoes to rescue. Yeah I’m that shallow, what of it?

By: fluffag

fluffag — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:54:10 +0000

Wow, I’ll never complain of the bad Scottish weather again. And we don’t have any dangerous animals here either that can fatally sting/bite us or eat us. We really don’t know how good we have it.

By: Joseph McCrumble

Joseph McCrumble — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:11:31 +0000

Hi Sam

It is I, McCrumble, writing from a secret location whilst trying to find out who is after me and for what reason. My tribulations, however, do seem pale in comparison with having to run away from a massive fire like that one. Glad to hear you survived!

J McC

By: Daphne Wayne-Bough

Daphne Wayne-Bough — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 12:08:45 +0000

The Gorilla says you’ve posted a picture of yourself but I can’t find it! I’ve not dropped in for a while either, but never fear, I hadn’t abandoned you. Loved your poem on Midnight in the Kitchen of Good & Evil. Hope those hunky fireman have put the fire out by now.

By: birchsprite

birchsprite — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 09:10:41 +0000

Take care with the big scary fire thing and congrats on mastering flickr…….more piccies please!

By: Dr Maroon

Dr Maroon — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 07:18:22 +0000

At first glance I thought what a lovely picture then realised it wasn’t. The constant worry must be that you are surrounded by the evidence of a big fire nearby but don’t know which way it’s headed. For those who haven’t experienced such a thing it’s difficult to grasp.