The Canyons are Burning!

[Gixxerdale]

We had a fire start at 1:00 yesterday just north of my home closing the freeway for many hours. Took forever to get home and find fire very close on 2 sides of our place. Made for very little sleep. All the local canyons are a blaze!

Today the fire is over 17,000 acres at last report. Managed to get into work (30 miles from home by freeway) only to discover the office was in a mandatory evacuation area. So 2 of us had made it in and we tossed our parts in the shop and loaded all the computers and paper files in the van before having to flee. The owner was busy evacuting his home 6 miles away.

Now back at home, the wind is picking up and the fire is returning. power is up and down so I better power down and load up the Gixxer. Hopefully I'll be back today? Tomorrow? Who knows with the fires we deal with here.


Dale

[Catherine]

Oh man those fires can get so bad!! I hope it resolves itself quickly and no one is hurt- air quality goes to hell too- yuck...

stay safe

Catherine

[inspiron]

Damn Dale, you've made international news. They are carrying the fires in Chatsworth over here on the news channels N-TV and on the network evening news.

[finch20th]

be safe man!!!!! it's weird so many people want to live in cali, but you have to take on all these natural disasters!!!

[Scourge]

I thought you where relocating, maybe this is a sign that you needs to speed up that process. Stay safe Bro.

[stevie c]

Stay safe mate.

[nhoel]

Yeah, we only have 2 seasons in california... Fire and rainy season (which doesn't last much)... But the fires here really do some damage. Last year's was actually worse... I thought...

[MagnumForce]

For you Cali riders out there, be safe. I still see burn marks from two years ago in the San Diego area.

[Gixxerdale]

Well it's dark and raining now! Three in the afternoon and the smoke has blocked out the sun. It's raining ash and hot embers! The fire has just exploded again right outside to my south! Thought it all burnded last night, but obviously not. Really hard to get a perspective even in this!

[rappidrabbit]

have to watch those Santa Anna winds...California could burn up one ddday....

[inspiron]

And then the charred remains will be shaken off into the Pacific ...

Seriously ... As a firefighter, I know that it's better to save a few important things (insurance papers, photographs, other things that can't be replaced) and get the hell out of there ASAP. Everything else can be replaced, or you don't need it. But staying put, trying to fight the fire yourself, without proper gear is suicide. If the flames and heat don't get you, the smoke will.

One of my earliest memories was during the 1971 fire season in Chatsworth, CA. My mother picked me up from school and drove home, only to be stopped by the LAFD and told that our street had been wiped out. My father was home in bed that day after having some major dental work done. My mother just freaked out...as it turned out, our street was spared - all of the houses were still there and mostly undamaged.

[jpwM50]

Man that is scary Gixxer, I hope you get thru it ok, I can't imagine what you guys go thru with all this destructive weather/fires all over the US. Up here, we never have anything like that..thank goodness.

[Gixxerdale]

Seems I've been involved in every big fire around here since 1975. Guess it's because I like being close to the canyons. Well this morning they state 21,000 acres and 20% containment. We'll see what happens at sunrise with the winds. Yesterday looked promising until the sun was up a couple hours and the wind picked up.

Currently the Rockedyne engine test site is burning again as the fire changes direction and is heading back here. It's going to be a long weekend.

[tlwisner]

Good luck avoiding the flames. Maybe some miracle will make it rain!

[nhoel]

Man, the air quality is really bad here. I find myself coughing while riding my bike to work this morning. I'm wondering if all that smoke is bad for my ride too...