Not good...

I've been thinking about getting one of those steel storage containers and partially burying it. Would make a good storm shelter and a good place to keep 4 wheelers, generators and other things that clutter up the shop. Would be considerably fire resistant depending on how much dirt was around it. We bought a running school bus for $250 for my dad. Drove it home, took the torch and cut the frame off at the windshield and pulled the engine and front end out with the log loader. Dug a hole in the side of the steep hill beside their house and pushed it in. Put thick roofing metal down the sides to cover the windows and in the front too. Coated the roof with mobile home roof sealant and covered it up with nothing but the back few feet sticking out. Pulled out all but the front 2 rows of seats and built shelves down both sides. It's been there for 25 years as if now. Still in perfect shape. Makes a good cheap shelter. They mostly keep their canned goods in it.
 
Burn, what did you see on the way back to your house? i remember going back home after Hurricane Andrew and on the way back, wondered where we were because the landmarks were so damaged.
 
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We drove through unburned ground only, Gigi. Some blowdown here and there from the high wind event that drove these fires. Nothing else. There's no direct road access between our place and the fire.
 
.Roger B hasn't said anything yet .

Smoke has enveloped the entire state. way over 4 million acres burned in the three western states. I haven't seen the sun for two days. Working tomorrow. got the whole house fan on staying inside, watching football. This image is shot of my favorite madrone at sunset two nights ago. I did shoot the sunrise Friday am.. I did spot the moon Sat am at 3 am. It has also gone into hiding, of course.

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Wow, you have an orange ball up there. We get those sometimes in the evening.
Otherwise..... Not much in the way of sun. Solar panels are about useless right now.
 
Glad you got into your house Burnham, peace of mind helps to some extent.
It's the ember attacks that are a worry, you could be miles away from the fire front and the wind blows the embers.
In Oz we were getting ember attacks 20km ahead of the fire.
Fire was burning through some areas twice, first the main fire, and then weeks later when all the scorched leaves had dropped a flare up would ignite those and it would run again.
I saw similar evidence of varying intensity, 'cool' fire where just the understory was burned and upper canopy still green, to complete whole trees nothing but a single trunk stub and the ground obliterated.

I see many youtube clips of the firefighters out there, not a P2 (n95) mask or respirator to be seen...do they keep their face/respiratory protection stowed until the last moment?
We have been issued half face respirators with p100 grade cartridges, I used mine on the last deployment and it made a huge difference, the p2/n95 disposable masks are almost next to useless in thick smoke.
 
Glad to hear everyone's good. Here's a flyover of the fire we had Tuesday that most affected us.

One of my guys lost his house in the first hour of this fire and we were trapped in Ashland as all the roads north were closed. Got back to the shop at 7 pm. That fires basically sorted now but still a week away from full power and gas services at least. Currently another employee has been on level 2 evac since Wednesday due to the Slater fire and the Obenchain fire is threatening the towns of Shady Cove and Butte Falls. Smoke is too thick for the bombers to fly in so it's all ground pounder work for now. Couple of us worked Friday, we'll see about tomorrow. So many of my clients lost everything, some of our scheduled work literally burned up. All my guys have good attitudes but we're all sick of the smoke.
 
Wow, you have an orange ball up there. We get those sometimes in the evening.
Otherwise..... Not much in the way of sun. Solar panels are about useless right now.
LOL. As I wrote, that was shot almost 3 days ago. The sun has been totally obscured for two days now. Situation is supposed to improve with a weak system coming onshore later tomorrow, and with rain predicted for later and into Tuesday, that will be a big help. Then, weather patterns may bring a return of the smoke later in the week.
 
Glad to hear everyone's good. Here's a flyover of the fire we had Tuesday that most affected us.

One of my guys lost his house in the first hour of this fire and we were trapped in Ashland as all the roads north were closed. Got back to the shop at 7 pm. That fires basically sorted now but still a week away from full power and gas services at least. Currently another employee has been on level 2 evac since Wednesday due to the Slater fire and the Obenchain fire is threatening the towns of Shady Cove and Butte Falls. Smoke is too thick for the bombers to fly in so it's all ground pounder work for now. Couple of us worked Friday, we'll see about tomorrow. So many of my clients lost everything, some of our scheduled work literally burned up. All my guys have good attitudes but we're all sick of the smoke.

Dayum, Willie. I've thought of you, Auggie Shilling and other friends in your bailiwick since that wicked situation developed. Unheard of wind and heat conditions... Beyond scary.

Meanwhile, my precious sis and her son are under evacuation warnings where they live in Sierra Madre. Barely two miles from her residence and east, and area has been evacuated as the fire has swept down the San Gabriel Mtn's and close to town.
 
Man, this is all just horrible. I know everyone is saying this is the worst they've seen. But how much worse can it get? We have tornadoes here but at least we can stay at home and don't have to leave for weeks on end. Wish there was something we could do to help.
 
Willie...that video is mind-boggling...incredibly awful devastation. That really helps better understand how bad it is there.

Thinking about all of you effected by this.
 
a good lesson for all that our sense of controlling nature is a complete illusion... wait til the next big asteroid, supervolcano, or monster earthquake. We've been living in very mild times geoloically
 
Glad to hear you made it though without much loss.My thoughts to those who lost property,livestock or loved ones.

On a lighter note.
 

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Mornin, Burnham,

Hope you where able to sleep a bit better.

This mornings Modis/IR data looks promising.

Hope you have a uneventful day. Well unless they drop the level 3, and you can return home. :)



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You know, the kids got a really good attitude. When the interstate opened and we were able to go back to the shop that first evening and could see the fire raging (I posted video of the drive on Facebook and Instagram if you use that) and he was panicking a bit in the background but the next day he was moving forward again. Pretty admirable of him I thought.
 
I hope you live in the type of community that pulls together and helps folks get back on their feet. With the amount of hurricanes that move over us, we are accustomed to doing that. People from all over the world come and help. I hope you all have that support after this.
 
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