Fire Uppydate (TONS of pictures)

RE: http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=89702

First, thanks for the prayers, guys. :) I'm safe...as are all the people that have been evacuated. I think only ONE firefighter was injured, and only TWO homes destroyed. That's AMAZING for such a huge fire.

I have pictures, they're sureal...it IS like a warzone...

Thursday morning at about 7:10 a.m. Mom and I got gas before we headed out to L.A. We weren't sure what we'd encounter and wanted to be safe. This road is Las Virgines...where the fire ended up that night. You can see the smoke from the Simi hills...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

We're on Las Virgines, that's the 101 onramp. The hills you see, those were all on fire...in the distance.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

These guys arrived on Wednesday afternoon and were all over Calabasas. I think they were the look outs and would "attack" as soon as they saw something.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

The cat's first trip to L.A.!! ( ♥ THANK YOU, GINI!!!! ♥ )Thank God mom has an SUV!! I covered them all to make them feel a bit better:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

Looking out the back window...just past Topanga Cyn exit. To give you a reference point, this fire was now AT LEAST 20-30 miles away at this point.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

This was a constant scene on Thursday...there were usually 4-5 engines at a time, I only got one in this picture:
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After Cedars appointments and thanking Gini, we headed to mom's house in Simi Valley. The day prior the 118 was closed because the fire was on this side. Here we are on the 118, about 20 miles east of Simi Valley:
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These were everywhere: (Yay for firemen!!!)
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On the 118, heading towards Simi Valley:
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Getting closer to Topanga on THIS side of the valley...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

More coming...

I think the "cloud" on the left was the fire still burning on Topanga/Box Cyn...the one of the right is the Simi Fire. You can't see the Calabasas fire (where I live) here:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

Topanga fire...burnt Wednesday:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

Excuse the glare, but I thought this was AMAZING!! That entire hill was crispy fried, but the cross was UNTOUCHED!!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

I know these are a little hard to see with the glare, but this is what the fire left the hills between Topanga (valley) and Kuener (Simi Valley):
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I
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More coming...

Getting into Simi Valley...

Isn't this neat with the sunlight peeking through the smoke?? I've always thought of God when I see sunlight, so this one gives me goosebumps:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

The smoking hillside:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

The Simi Valley/Rocketdyme fire:
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(at the Kuener exit: )
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This is what it looked like outside....creepy, huh?
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FIRE!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...15109BYt2Llq2I

More coming...(the most dramatic fire shots :eek: )

Mom's exit and the bent wing planes delivering the flame retardant:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

Up on the overpass of my parent's exit:
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Standing in mom's back yard...luckily, we were safe there, but it was so unnerving to see that...there are homes on that hill. :(
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I
(this is Thursday early afternoon, on Wednesday, that entire hill was on fire!!)
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Look at the sky!
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More coming...

More...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...15109BYt2Llq2I
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Wednesay after work, I headed to mom's house to make sure it was OK. This is what happened to their brand new patio set (up on their balcony because the yard is being put in)...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I
The winds reached 65 mph...the umbrella disconnected and fell on the table and shattered it.

Pictures from the balcony:
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We headed to the top of mom's tract and took more. The view was devistating...breathing is not an option with all that in the air.
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Even more coming...sorry so many :o

To the left of those trees was the Jann's Fireman Basecamp: (headed towards Thousand Oaks on Thursday afternoon, as the fire started heading towards Wood Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Agoura, Oak Park and Calabasas.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

The sky/sun...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

Coming back into Simi Valley....around 5:00 p.m. Thursday:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I
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Surprisingly, the fire started to die down!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

But the wind kept fanning the embers and it'd start again. Here it is at night:
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A few more coming, then I'm done!

WOW, what a massive fire. Its amazing more houses weren't ruined.

Night...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

The sunset:
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(look at all that smoke!)
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OK, all done! It was an amazing experience. Those firemen saved 99.99% of the homes and I'm pretty sure no one outside that fire captain was hurt. For such an enormous fire, that's awesome! I don't have pictures of what Calabasas looks like now, but its not bad. The fire is out...thankfully! There's ash everywhere, but people are safe and that's a small annoyance to deal with.

The fire got to my exit and I HAD to evacuate...thank you so much, Gini for minding my babies!! I had to stay at mom's house on Thursday becuase it wasn't safe to return here till Friday night.

I just returned from getting the furballs from Gini's and now they're home and happy. They had a wonderful stay at Gini's (Noah says he's sorry for being such a meanie....he says "thank you" as well!) and I'm so grateful to my angel, Gini (mom) for that.

I'm so glad everyone here is safe. :)

Hope you enjoyed! I learned A LOT in emergency prepardness from this. I need to keep my cat carriers in tact in my storage area, not apart in my closet. I had the night before to think what to do, if I only had that 30 minutes in the morning, I don't know how I would have caught all 5. :eek: Thank God for that.

Those pictures are absolutely amazing (but scary :eek: ) I am SO glad you and Devan are safe. Thank God!

Wow, what a scary experience you had. That cross being untouched is an amazing sight. Thanks for sharing those pictures and I'm so glad you are okay. RIP to the poor fireman. He sure is a hero in my eyes.

I agree with Jess - those pics are simply amazing yet so scary! :( So glad that everyone made it thru 99.99% safe.

:eek: WOW!! I am glad everyone is OK. :) ((hugs))

Quote:

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Originally Posted by petslover

RIP to the poor fireman. He sure is a hero in my eyes.

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Oh, no! He didn't die!! He was injured on Wednesday. As far as I know, no one was killed. Thank God!

I was talking to Tonya (Zippiekatt) just know and we were saying that its amazing these firemen so willingly risk their lives for us. They're willing to save homes that CAN be replaced, people CANNOT. They're HUGE hero's in my eyes. :)

Kelly, those are amazing!

This one could be in National Geographic!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...15109BYt2Llq2I
Its beautiful and eerie at the same time.

Glad everyone is ok and safe!

Oh okay. I see now. I am glad he is alive. I must have read it too fast. He should be on television getting recognition for his achievement. I agree. Firemen are huge heros. I respect them alot.

You know one movie I saw that just REALLY stuck with me was Ladder 49. I always knew that it was hard, brutal, dangerous work, but something about that movie really brought it home. I always think about it now when I think of firefighters, and how many have been hurt and even killed while trying to save/protect us.

This picture in particular stood out to me especially, although all of them are amazing:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...16109BYt2Llq2I

My heart is POUNDING in my chest! It is so much like actually being there, living it through your eyes and camera lens, knowing you and your babies were in harms way and could have lost everything. Those are some AWESOME pictures and really show the magnitiude of it....Phew.... I gotta clam my nerves and my heart down...

God Bless Gina for taking your babies in so you wouldn't have that worry of having to leave them or what to do with them. Bad enough to worry about the possiability of loosing your home without having to worry about them too. They were safe and loved in your absense.. THANK YOU GINA!

Glad you are home again and all of you are safe. This has been a very trying ordeal for all us PT'ers and has had me sitting on the edge of my seat for DAYS!!! Thank God you are all alright! God Bless Firemen and First Responders!!

Kelly I'm happy that you are safe and sound now. Those huge fires can be really scary. We had one here in Tucson 2 summers ago. Sounds like your fire dept did an amzing job!

Kelly,Wow!!! These pictures are scary. I'm so glad that you and your cats are all safe and that everyone else remained safe. :)

I'm so glad everyone is safe.

Kelly, I am so happy to hear you're okay and all your little babies are safe too. That was quick thinking getting them to Gini's and getting the heck outta there. What a great friend Gini is!! Bravo Gini!! Those pics are amazing. How scary for you. (((((HUGS)))))

Oh! The pictures made me shiver! They were awesome, yet so frightening! I'm glad Gini was there to help you..{HUGS} to you, Gini! I'm glad you're safe, Kelly. I agree, Firemen Rule! Risking their own lives for strangers. True Heroes, indeed!

:( Omg those pictures make me happy i am not in that position, it is so sad disaster after disatster!
I'm glad you guys made it out f!

Glad to hear that you guys are safe, I know only too well what bushfires are like.

Oh, Kelly, it is so good to hear from you, thank God you came through safe and sound. And thank God for the generous, loving and beautiful lady, Gini, too, knowing that your babies were being kept safe and loved in her care must have been such a comfort. Big, big hugs to you both.

Oh Kelly, I am SO relieved to see that you, your loved ones, and your house , eveyone and anything is safe!!! Thanks for these fantastic pics. That fire looks soooo scary :eek: !
Thank you so much Gini for taking such good care of Kelly's cats! You are an angel!! :) :)

Oh-My-Goshhhh!!!! That's sooooo horrible! :( :( :( I'm soooo glad that you (and your entire family) are okay, and all of your furkidz are okay, too! what a horrible tragic fire! Did it start because of the heat? Or something else???

God Bless all of the wonderful fireman!!

Those are amazing pics. Very scary situation I'm sure and it's good to know everyone is okay.

Wow, absolutely gorgeous pics, that must have been so scary for everyone....it is truly amazing that a fire that big wasn't (thank god) more devistating.

Wow, those pictures are amazing, Kelly! I can't believe the shots you got from your mom's house! :eek: I'm so glad that Gini was able to take your babies while you had to be evacuated.
**hugs**