Kevin: Anything for the cause, my friend!

Well for starters you could close all the windows in your house. Turn off the air conditioner, and stoke up the fire place. Now close the flue and wait.......about a week. Take a deep breath and feel the burn. Thats what this place is like right now. I'd give a weeks income for a breat of FRESH air.

Kevin: Can you paint in these conditions, or are there too many particulates in the air?

Pic from over head.

Simi Valley fire advances Monday toward the community of Porter Ranch in California's San Fernando Valley.

http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/188/813/10x...firess1_5p.jpg

Firefighters try to protect two homes on a remote hillside in Bear Valley, south of Valley Center, Calif.,

http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/188/813/10x...ldfires_01.jpg

A burned road sign on State Highway 118 stands on charred terrain Monday in Simi Valley

http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/188/813/10x...s_fires_02.jpg

Cant forget the men, working their ass`s off.



http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/188/813/10x...ildfire_01.jpg

I really think the sign in the back ground is a little weak.

http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/188/813/10x...ildfire_05.jpg

I've got to either rent the booth next door or wait untill they leave for the day and stay late to shoot something.

I know I am gonna make friends with this one.....

I just got to the hotel in San Jose. The F/A remarked that it was so nice to not be coughing (she lives in Riverside), the F/O remarked his eyes were finally not burning (he lives in San Diego), and I will not make mud when I get in the shower.

The air here is pretty nice.

Scott, when I went over you this morning, they asked me to be above 7500' (the TFR ceiling) by your house. It was readily apparent where those air drops were last night at sunset, the hills there were unburnt and bright orange. And how close those were to your place. The fire back in the Piru hills is as bad as ever, totally unchecked, and headed for dense brush. I wouldn't want to be behind Fillmore or Santa Paula today.

Good luck everybody....

Michael.

Thanks for the update Michael. Are you back in LA today, or overnighting up north?

Tomorrow afternoon to Seattle, back to SJC tomorrow night, back to VNY thursday evening. I got the easy trip this week.

You have my thoughts and prayers. This pictures bring a tear to my eye. Not many years back when I was a sophomore in high school a forest fire hit my home town (los alamos, nm). I will never forget going through my house and deciding what was important and evacuating in the middle of the night. The porsche had to be left behind because the old truck could carry more stuff. For the next few days I watched some of my friends homes burn to the ground. Luckly my home was spared, but I will always be amazed at how close it brought our comunittee. Strangers were welcomed into homes and supplies poured in from across the state. I am in the sacremento area and wish I was closer so I could help out some way. I pray you stay safe and your home is spared.
-brad

The Beast payed pre dawn visit
 

Hi Scott and everybody,
I haven't been on line since last Saturday as my DSL connection was failing. I'm not sure if it was on my end or AOL's but I'm up now :)
Thing's have been a little crazy around here to say the least.
I did take the SC down to a friends house on Saturday just before the 118 was shut down.
I knew that we were vulnerable to this fire as were close to Corriganville Park at the east end of Simi, Just 150 feet away from the front of my house. We are in a newer tract though so the roofs are tile and eves stuccoed.

Our timeline was not good though as Sundaynight the fire at 10pm was just above us north of the 118 fwy and I knew if it did come calling it would be in darkness with no air support or visibility for fire fighters to see the lay of the land.

I own a Skiploader and on Sunday afternoon desided to clear some brush back on the parks property from behind my neighbors homes that back into the park.
There was one big oak that concerned me in the park because it was only about 25 feet from one of the houses with dry brush all around it and if it caught it could spread to the house.

The fire didn't look to aggressive when I last checked Sunday night so I went to bed to try and get some sleep. My wife got up around 4am as she could hear the winds starting up. She went out and when she came back in told me this doesn't look to good you better get up.

When I got outside the fire trucks were starting to arrive and survey the area. The fire at this time was burning good. It was still north of the fwy but right above us (3/4 mi.) and the fire fighter knew with the wind gusts we were getting it was probably going to jump the 118 Fwy.

Well we watch for a while in the darkness and then she jumped and started down into the park. It took it's time at first but built up momentum when it got in a small canyon that leads down to were I cleared the day before.
As this was happening my wife took the dogs and left and I gave the house another spraying of water and turned on the sprinklers.

I want to tell you, I have never seen anything like it once it got down close to the street. It was like a tornado and moving very fast. I had my truck ready to go and did when it was right upon us.
The fire split at this point going behind the six houses across the street and the other two that border the park in an L shape around the corner.
I retreated down the street half a block were it was safer. I did yell to a Channel 7 new's team that just arrived that they should move farther down the street as the fire was moving fast.

Once the fire split though it seamed to loose it's momentum.
I'll never forget my neighbor who's house backs into the park on two sides come up to me and say "Bobby is my house still their, is my house gone?"
All the houses survived :)
There was a lot of media coverage from our street all that day.
These pic's are from my driveway.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1067376623.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1067376665.jpg:eek:

god bless the fire retardant camaro!

Actually DD74 had a great idea of utilizing the pool for items that can withstand being submersed in water. I'd take it further and suggest emptying the pool and use it to "store" items you're not likely to move such as heirloom furniture etc and then cover the pool with a (hopefully flame retardent) cover.

Again, good luck to all you out there in a less than nice situation.

Bob: I'm glad you're OK. It sounds like your situation was much dicier than mine. If you need anything, call me.

Scott

oh boy- that was too close! you were lucky T.G.

Dave: In the whole scheme of things, I'd rather have alternator failure in Irwindale than go thru the last 36 hours or so! :D

Here's the latest picture, as of 3:30 p.m. It looks like the fire has receded back into the canyons somewhat. I attribute that to (a) good luck with the winds, and (b) well-placed fire retardant. I understand the area southwest of here is still in jeopardy, but for now my area looks good. In fact, I may even go into work tomorrow just to get my mind off of this!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1067384828.jpg

thanks so much for keeping such a great update. i work far and the news channel web sites aren't as up to date as your posts on this board. thanks so much! talk to you soon.

My pleasure, Anthony (I think :)).

I think we also owe thanks to the moderators of the board for not pushing this to the Off Thread section. Though it started out, at least in part, as a concern over paint, it quickly evolved beyond that. The sense of community and spirit generated by this thread is truly amazing!

Has anyone heard from SWBSam????

Pretty stressful week. hope that it gets better as it goes on. The weather outlook is promising. Shame that some of our favorite P car roads will be like cruising the moonscape in the coming months. and i shudder to think what the rains will do
oh yeah- forgot it never rains in california...

Sam posted this pic on the OT forum at 5:12 AM this morning. Hopefully he's still in as good of a mood.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1067346680.jpg