‘As they stood at the edge of the pool, the neighbors’ house caught fire. A big tree next to the pool went up in flames. The railroad ties framing the concrete steps leading to the pool ignited…
They submerged themselves in the blackened, debris-filled water. They had grabbed T-shirts to hold over their faces to protect themselves from embers when they surfaced for air…
She waited for the house to burn to the ground, for the fire to pass so they could warm themselves on the concrete steps. The wind howled and the sound of explosions filled the air. Propane tanks? Ammunition? They had no idea.
“I just kept going under,” she said. It was the only way to survive. “And I kept saying, ‘How long does it take for a house to burn down?’ We were freezing.”
There was plenty of warning, why didn’t they leave?
Growing up in fire country, I seem to remember them telling us not to jump in the pool but to run . I never bought int’o that theory, we had a pool and I thought of it as a refuge when I was alone at 12 and watching homes burn nearby !!!
One breath of super heated air and you’re done.
wow apocalyptic
Yeah, sure – have a good time frolicking in the pool while a tragedy unfolds around you. Talk about callous…
🙂
So there you are at last, avatar. You’ve been drinking again, haven’t you?
2 things you always want to have:
Luck and smarts. Now, will they
push their luck and stay in CA?
Dumbasses had more than enough warning to pack up whatever they couldn’t live without and drive away.
I’d like to know why they were still there.
Human nature works against itself.
Survival Vs It won’t happen to me, it’s always the other guy in peril.
Human nature isn’t always your friend.
Getting ready for their trip to the island of Heebee Jeebee.
We were visiting our kids in San Rafael (we live in CO) and I awoke in the middle of the night that Sunday smelling smoke in the house and got up to look around for the source. Nothing in the house, nothing at next door neighbors, but could hear the wind outside blowing up a storm. The Santa Rosa fire happened fast and furious. Some people didn’t get a chance to leave that night. On Monday morning the skies were filled with smoke and the cars outside had a hefty layer of ash. This couple were truly taken by surprise, according to the story at LA Times.
John October 13, 2017 at 8:31 am
2 things you always want to have:
Luck and smarts. Now, will they
push their luck and stay in CA?
———————————
And go where? I always hear people saying “get out of California,!” but they never say where to move to. How about Florida where your home gets destroyed by a hurricane. How about Texas, where your home gets destroyed by a hurricane. How about Kansas or Oklahoma where your home gets destroyed by a tornado. Hell, move to Alaska where your home gets destroyed by an earthquake. Go to Seattle, it’s more liberal than California. Santa Rosa isn’t considered the type of community that would catch on fire and destroy most of it. Hell, I live in that type of country. Would Detroit or Chicago be a better place to live? I hate the politics here, but I love where I live. There’s only one draw back here, but that’s being fixed by federal money. Cha chig, about time we get some of that moola! I’m not moving any where. My house is paid for, we owe no one nothing. My sister moved to Texas recently and is regretting it. So it goes….
MUSLIMS START ANOTHER FOREST FIRE DID THEY?
Ah yes. I remember when al qaida said this was a tactic to be used: environmental terrorism.
One of the Santa Rosa firemen said in 70 mph winds a fire will race across the length of a football field in 3 seconds. Nobody could outrun it.
Come to Phoenix. All you have to worry about is your central AC breaking down when it’s 120 outside in the shade
And of course, there’s that small problem of cooling off your 105 degree interior after the AC gets fixed, and it’s still 119 outside and it takes 20 minutes just to go from 81 to 80.
Corona OCTOBER 13, 2017 AT 12:15 PM
“One of the Santa Rosa firemen said in 70 mph winds a fire will race across the length of a football field in 3 seconds. Nobody could outrun it.”
People who don’t live here don’t realize that a wind driven fire can travel as fast as the wind. And as it sends embers before it, it perpetuates it even more.
Update on that. Looks like it’s PG&Es’ fault. That 70mph gust was 20 miles away from the fires. The winds were around 38-47 mph near fires. PG&Es’ poles weren’t up to specs, they were supposed to withstand up to 56 mph winds. They didn’t They fell and transformers blew and started the fires. CA is boned.
@Goldenfox, not sure if you will see this as it’s older. I live in Alaska and I can tell you that we have earthquakes every. single. day. And guess what? You don’t even feel them. Every so often there’s a bit of swaying and sometimes an earthie that wakes you up, shakes crap off shelves and goes away. We haven’t had a devastating one since 1963. You just get used to the smaller ones–people wait for the shaking to stop and then start taking bets on the Richter #.
Come on up here, peeps! Golden, you may quite like it up here, it’s gorgeous AND we don’t have an earthquake “season” like they do down south. Plus everybody carries. What’s not to like? 😀
(Well, down south with tornadoes, that is.)
@Goldenfoxx: I can’t see anybody regretting moving to Texas, unless they wind up in a Democrat enclave like Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, or Houston.
Then I pity their bad fortune.
🙂