Fire on the mountain!

[Urchina]

Went to bed and woke up this morning to this:




We're not on evacuation warning but folks a mile from us are, and it all depends on the wind. I didn't make an evacuation list last year with the huge fire 8 miles away, but this one we can see from our front gate (where the pic was taken)

So here's our evacuation list in case we get the call. Am I missing anything? (Extra points goes to advice from people who've been evacuated themselves, but I'm really sorry for those of you who have been).

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Clothing: Two changes sturdy, comfortable clothing, including jackets and sturdy shoes.
Toiletries for a couple of days.
Diapers for a week or so.
First-aid kit, including some painkillers appropriate for all of us.
Kitchen-sized tall trash bags for trash and dirty clothes.
Important documents (marriage license, insurance papers, back taxes, passports, social security cards, etc.)
Address book
Checkbook, checks and spare cash.
Heirlooms / irreplaceable photographs / beloved books.
Pet supplies (we've got two cats and a dog, so we'll take food, dishes, vet records, beds, harnesses, carriers, litter and litterbox with us).
Laptops & Camera
Cell phones and chargers.
Special toys for my kids, plus books and art supplies to keep them occupied

If space, we'll take camping gear with us. (sleeping bags, tent, campstove)

I'm filling up both cars with gas today.

Anything else? Hopefully this is just an academic exercise, but...


[/FONT]

 

[brewer12345]

Any medications people in the family take regularly would make my list.

 

[bbbamI]

Will food and water be an issue?

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Let us know what happens.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

Will food and water be an issue?

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Let us know what happens.

Based on my past experiences, they shouldn't be. We were evacuated during last year's SoCal wildfires, and while our neighborhood was pandemonium, 15 miles away it was business as usual. We took the kids to Chuck E Cheese to run around, since the air quality outside wasn't very good. Unfortunately, everyone else in the area had the same idea, so it was insane in there.

I think your list looks good. I'd load the car early so that you're not rushing if/when you do get the notice to evacuate.

Good luck!

 

[USK Coastie]

If you have an archive HD for the computer take it or the computer box. You'll have adevel of a time replacing lost data from the main computer if its a melted pile of plastic.

 

[W2R]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Clothing: Two changes sturdy, comfortable clothing, including jackets and sturdy shoes. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Toiletries for a couple of days. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Diapers for a week or so. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]First-aid kit, including some painkillers appropriate for all of us. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Kitchen-sized tall trash bags for trash and dirty clothes. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Important documents (marriage license, insurance papers, back taxes, passports, social security cards, etc.)[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Address book[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Checkbook, checks and spare cash. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Heirlooms / irreplaceable photographs / beloved books. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Pet supplies (we've got two cats and a dog, so we'll take food, dishes, vet records, beds, harnesses, carriers, litter and litterbox with us). [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Laptops & Camera[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Cell phones and chargers. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Special toys for my kids, plus books and art supplies to keep them occupied[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]If space, we'll take camping gear with us. (sleeping bags, tent, campstove)[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]I'm filling up both cars with gas today. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Anything else? Hopefully this is just an academic exercise, but...[/FONT]

From my evacuation list (well tested!)
Charger for the laptops and camera
diplomas
that special crayon drawing that one of your kids gave you a few years ago
For comfort, something special that makes you feel at home and like you haven't lost everything (for me, a Tiffany-style lamp, paintings, and scultures).
A book or two.
computer software and hard drive backup disks
passwords if you need any
roadmaps

I didn't include the food, water, a radio with batteries, flashlight, and so on, since it is a fire so I am assuming you will be able to get someplace before too long. Good luck to you!!! Let us know.

 

[unclemick]

Family momento's - photo's, etc - stuff that can't be replaced with any amount of money.

IRS, Passport, etc any other records that are not easy to replace. My oldest nephew's wife's Mom got out of Katrina(Bay St. Louis) with the clothes on her back and one shoe - even though she lived there/taught school for over thirty years - just proving her Identity was a momumental pain in the butt.

Money - any and all forms checkbook, credit cards, cash - you can always buy clean underwear.

Being a guy - I always took my guns, fishing gear, sports stuff - except the last time(Katrina) - go figure.

Family, records/documents, money in that order.

I still regret I didn't take more family pictures.

heh heh heh -

P.S. Always took my dog - I would rather sleep alongside the road than go to a shelter that didn't take pets. Dog and a cat by the time Katrina hit.

 

[Urchina]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'm refining the list and will start packing some things before this evening.

We're not on evacuation warning, but the wind just picked up and the smoke plume is coming directly at our place, which means the flames could be following. If we get a sundowner this evening it could be um, interesting.

Thanks again, I appreciate the advice and voices of (sad) experience.

 

[TromboneAl]

In case you do lose the house, here's a letter I wrote based on our experiences:

October 28, 1993

Dear Fire Victim:

We lost our home in the Oakland Firestorm of October 1991.

In this letter I'd like to pass on some of the practical
things that we learned during our recovery from that fire.

Priority 1: Find a Place to Live

You're going to have a difficult year coming up. You need
to find a comfortable place to live while you rebuild or
look for a new house. Victims who waited too long to find
new housing ended up in cramped quarters far from their
rebuilding site. If you rebuild you will probably be
traveling to your site at least once every other day. As
important as location is, however, try to find someplace
where you'll be able to relax and get away from the stress
of the recovery.

I know you're in a state of shock, but this is one task that
needs to be taken care of right away.

Priority 2: Dealing with the Insurance Company

Even though you have a million things to buy, like clothes
and shoes and toothpaste, it would be good to get the ball
rolling on insurance. This will involve finding out how
your policy works, getting spending vouchers from your
agent, and meeting with your adjuster.

Get things written down. We were treated fairly by our
insurance company, and things went smoothly, despite the
many details and large sums of money involved. Something
that helped was keeping a written record of every phone
conversation, and sending that written record to the
adjuster. For example, here is an example of something I
sent to our second adjuster:

Thanks for calling today to introduce yourself.
As I mentioned, we've applied for our building
permit, and I've received an oral preliminary bid
from our contractor. We haven't gone over the bid
with him yet, so there might be some changes. I'm
quite sure that the total cost will be less than
the $406,000 estimated by John Davis [it wasn't].

As I understand from our conversation, I will send
you a copy of the plans and contractor's bid, and
you will get the paperwork started. If all goes
well we can expect to receive a check for the
difference between what we've received already and
the actual cost of building upon showing intent to
rebuild, that is, at the time of pouring the
foundation and starting the framing.

Please let me know if I've misunderstood anything.

I'd say that letters like this were the single most
important factor in our successful relations with our
insurance company. Document every conversation. This is
important!

Priority 3: Get Organized

Buy an accordion A-Z file folder, preferably one that
latches closed and has a handle on top. Carefully file all
insurance and other papers.

Buy another accordion folder that's organized January-
December.

Call your credit card company and have them increase your
credit limit. Buy everything with credit card. Save all
your receipts, and dump them into the appropriate month in
your January-December folder.

Important Note: You may be able to be reimbursed for
possessions that you lost that had been purchased with your
credit card; call your credit card company.

Priority 4: Let your Friends Help You

Don't feel shy or embarrassed about accepting help from your
friends. They really want and need to help you. Let them
help with shopping or let them cook meals for you.

Priority 5: Give yourself a Break

Some people will tell you to take a week off. You know that
that isn't possible, but at least try to take a night off
now and then.

Something that helped us after the fire was talking with a
group of people who had been involved in an earlier Santa
Barbara fire. That's what prompted me to write this letter.
If you think my experience in recovering from our fire can
help in any other way, please give me a call.

Best Wishes and Good Luck,

 

[W2R]

I still regret I didn't take more family pictures.

I didn't take ANY of my photos when we evacuated for Katrina; I rode with Frank and didn't even take my car. Big Mistakes. In my case I was lucky but I will never make those mistakes again.

 

[brewer12345]

P.S. Always took my dog - I would rather sleep alongside the road than go to a shelter that didn't take pets. Dog and a cat by the time Katrina hit.

Always knew you were the decent sort, UM, nice to see it confirmed.

I suppose that in the unlikely event that fire, flood or huricane threatened us here, I would load dogs, kids cat and valuables into the minivan/travel trailer and head away from the coast. Scary to think about the possibilities, thogh.

 

[samclem]

I suppose that in the unlikely event that fire, flood or huricane threatened us here, I would load dogs, kids cat and valuables into the minivan/travel trailer and head away from the coast.

Brewer, don't forget DW in all the commotion. Maybe a checklist is in order . . .

 

[RunningBum]

Good topic. The only thing I have to add is that you might want to try to fire proof your house as much as possible while you can. Cut branches away from the house. Clean out leaf debris that might've gotten under decks and against the house. House down the roof, decks, etc, unless they need the water to fight the fire.

I live on a mountain and a forest fire that spreads rapidly is a real concern here, and we only have one way off, so it's possible I won't have a lot of time. There is a back way, but it's on foot, to take a short trail to the Blue Ridge Parkway where they'll have busses for us, or so they say. So I need to make a list of what I should pack in my car, and what I really need to carry if it comes down to that.

 

[Meadbh]

I really feel for anyone who is in this situation. Fire scares me. It would be devastating to lose everything.

One practical building tip is: don't put cedar shakes on your roof.

 

[RunningBum]

Have I told this story here?

Last winter the forestry service came and talked to us about wildfires and how to protect our homes. Replacing cedar shake roofs (used to be common here, no longer allowed, and mine is the normal composite) was one of their suggestions. The local fire chief assumed him that few houses still have them. My next door neighbor does though.

I asked about our evacuation plan, which is:
1) Drive down the only road out
2) if 1) is blocked due to fire or impassable accident, drive to another point and walk ~100 yads to the Blue Ridge Parkway, where busses will pick us up (this one will surprise a lot of people who find they can't take their cars packed with all of their valuables
3) Meet in a designated common building, which the fire department will establish a defense perimeter around

Take a guess what kind of roof this common building has.

btw, other suggestions for protecting the home included:
- lattice work around decks to keep leaves and other yard debris from drying and collectin
- cutting trees 30 feet from the house, which the architecture and landscaping boards do not like and they have compromised to some smaller distance.
- Drives accessible for the big trucks
- Hose connected outside for emergency use

The others don't come to mind but pretty much all fall in the categories of reducing fuel to the fire, and access for fire fighting equipment.

 

[Moemg]

I have a portable metal box that holds all my important documents and photos that can not be replaced . Plus it has all the insurance info. in it . It also contains pictures of all the rooms .So if I am evacuated everything essential is right there and I can grab it and run.

 

[Urchina]

No evacuation orders yet. The wind shifted this morning and looks like it blew the fire away from our direction and towards others. Last night's show was impressive, it looked like a volcano exploding near our place. No pics to post, unfortunately.

We packed up mementos yesterday but it seems less likely today that we'll need to evacuate. Still, hard to say. The lack of information is probably the hardest thing to deal with -- we're just waiting at this point.

Thanks again for the good advice! I certainly hope that I won't have to use yours, T-Al, but the letter was great and helped me think through the process so that I could prepare now.

 

[bbbamI]

Thanks for letting us know what's going on. My best to you and your family.