A Bad Week
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He's a good guy tho...
Thanks Glen. Things are much better here and at the ranch - with the crazy low humidity, fuel with low moisture and high Santa Ana winds it's still a bit sporty. For those at the tip of the fire we continue to pray for their safety and put our faith in the firefighters ability to defend their homes and property.
Thank you Nando. Our good friends that live in Wheeler Canyon lost their home to the Thomas fire. Fortunately they evacuated their horses and dogs (and themselves) prior to the fires arrival. The fire source was several miles away and it made it to Wheeler in less than two hours. Thankfully there were several boarders at the ranch where our horses are boarded as they helped save the horses and ranch structures. I was at work and did not get my voice mails / phone messages until the fire had surrounded the ranch. By the time I arrived the worst was over but there was still much to be done.
Thanks so much - so far so good. We still have a squadron of helos above us.
Fire, mud slide and earth quake seasons are the worst here. The area is spectacular with normally great weather but is has grown so much since we've moved here in the mid 60's that we're rethinking where we want to live out the rest of our years.
I'm glad to hear that Rob's home wasn't burned but it's a major bummer to hear about his sister's predicament. Ojai was surrounded by fire and it was a miracle that the winds did not pick up as predicted. It would not have mattered which direction the wind followed - any wind would have been difficult to face. Thankfully the hawk was mellow and helped the firefighters to save the city from disaster - today. It's not over tho...
Update - 12 23 2017
Here's a short Thomas fire synopsis from my perspective of the world with a few facts interleaved. This is the largest recorded fire in the state with a peak of more than 8,500 firefighters on the front lines. The environmental conditions are crazy, humidity approaching 0%, fuel conditions are far below critical levels, insane wind speeds and tough terrain have hindered the firefighters to control this beast. At its height, the wildfire was powerful enough to generate its own weather, qualifying it as a firestorm. There were periods of time when the fire was advancing at a rate of an acre a second. The strong winds were the largest factor in the spread of the fire. It is approximately 65% contained but there are still three fronts and it has consumed approximately 427 square miles - about 1107 square kilometers of land.
We live in Ventura and our city had the largest loss of homes but thankfully we were about a mile south of the mandatory evacuation zone. Northern Ventura lost the majority of the homes and structures to this fire and unfortunately several of our friends lost their homes. Thankfully all evacuated their properties safely.
My wife and I have two horses and they are boarded in Wheeler Canyon between Santa Paula and Ventura. The fire point source (Steckel Park) is approximately 4.5 miles east from the box canyon where our guys (geldings) live. The fire moved at an amazing speed and arrived at the ranch (Willow Creek Ranch) that I did not have time to traverse the canyon before it was consumed in flames.
Here's a Google map overhead shot of the ranch. It's about 25 plus acres flat with 100 acres or so surrounding steep hills creating the box.
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.377639,-119.1472541,1435m/data=!3m1!1e3
When the fire arrived from the east the remaining horses were walked from their stalls and pasture to the large arena that was once used as a quarter mile Thoroughbred race track. They did not like being led into the fire and one side of the arena fencing burned down. Thankfully the horses did not venture into the downed fence area. We finally made it into the canyon early Tuesday - 5 December - about 12 hours after it started. It was somewhat safe at that time but the drive up the canyon was apocalyptic.
There were four boarders, three owners and one or two workers that helped save the horses and structures of the ranch. They could have left but didn't and it may have saved their lives as one of the two deaths in this fire happened on the first day of the fire. A number of people were evacuating the canyon and the visibility was terrible - I've been told about 10 feet - and one person was involved in an accident and died from a combination of blunt force trama, smoke inhalation and being cooked. We drove past her for a couple of days before her body was discovered.
The fire is still burning but the weather is better so I'm hoping that it will be over before the end of the year.
Here's a short Thomas fire synopsis from my perspective of the world with a few facts interleaved. This is the largest recorded fire in the state with a peak of more than 8,500 firefighters on the front lines. The environmental conditions are crazy, humidity approaching 0%, fuel conditions are far below critical levels, insane wind speeds and tough terrain have hindered the firefighters to control this beast. At its height, the wildfire was powerful enough to generate its own weather, qualifying it as a firestorm. There were periods of time when the fire was advancing at a rate of an acre a second. The strong winds were the largest factor in the spread of the fire. It is approximately 65% contained but there are still three fronts and it has consumed approximately 427 square miles - about 1107 square kilometers of land.
We live in Ventura and our city had the largest loss of homes but thankfully we were about a mile south of the mandatory evacuation zone. Northern Ventura lost the majority of the homes and structures to this fire and unfortunately several of our friends lost their homes. Thankfully all evacuated their properties safely.
My wife and I have two horses and they are boarded in Wheeler Canyon between Santa Paula and Ventura. The fire point source (Steckel Park) is approximately 4.5 miles east from the box canyon where our guys (geldings) live. The fire moved at an amazing speed and arrived at the ranch (Willow Creek Ranch) that I did not have time to traverse the canyon before it was consumed in flames.
Here's a Google map overhead shot of the ranch. It's about 25 plus acres flat with 100 acres or so surrounding steep hills creating the box.
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.377639,-119.1472541,1435m/data=!3m1!1e3
When the fire arrived from the east the remaining horses were walked from their stalls and pasture to the large arena that was once used as a quarter mile Thoroughbred race track. They did not like being led into the fire and one side of the arena fencing burned down. Thankfully the horses did not venture into the downed fence area. We finally made it into the canyon early Tuesday - 5 December - about 12 hours after it started. It was somewhat safe at that time but the drive up the canyon was apocalyptic.
There were four boarders, three owners and one or two workers that helped save the horses and structures of the ranch. They could have left but didn't and it may have saved their lives as one of the two deaths in this fire happened on the first day of the fire. A number of people were evacuating the canyon and the visibility was terrible - I've been told about 10 feet - and one person was involved in an accident and died from a combination of blunt force trama, smoke inhalation and being cooked. We drove past her for a couple of days before her body was discovered.
The fire is still burning but the weather is better so I'm hoping that it will be over before the end of the year.
Bradrock
Veteran and General Yakker
Gosh what an ordeal. I sure hope that was the last of it for you folks this year at least.
Was that a 1/4 mile oval track or straight? It's been a long time since I've seen real quarter horse racing.
Was that a 1/4 mile oval track or straight? It's been a long time since I've seen real quarter horse racing.
grapplesaw
Veteran and General Yakker
Thank you Dennis for the update. I have been thinking of you for the past weeks as my cousin had been evacuated in near by Santa Barbra. They have now returned home after the fire was stopped 1 mile from their home. The situation you are in is most stressful I am sure as I know all to well your worries. We went through 2-1/2 months of fires this summer with two properties getting as close 1 km to the 2,000,000 acres burning. As a result we have sold one as the issues of owning have become so stressful.
Our thoughts and and prayers are with you and until the last hot spot is quenched I do not think you will sleep well. To all Your neibours who have been burned out I hope for the best in recovering.
Our thoughts and and prayers are with you and until the last hot spot is quenched I do not think you will sleep well. To all Your neibours who have been burned out I hope for the best in recovering.
Brad - click on the link in post 28. That gives you a birds eye view of the area and you can see it is quite large. The track - now an arena - is used mostly for jumping but you can build up a good head of steam in there.
Hi Glen. Thanks for your concerns. We were very fortunate in this one.
I didn't know you had family in Santa Barbara. I'm happy for them as they are back home. The smoke and ash are terrible in many areas. Santa Barbara, Montecito and Carpinteria were blessed to have several thousand firefighters set up to fight this inferno where they could. Ventura and Santa Paula weren't as fortunate as the fire hit in two to three hours after this thing started so they did not have the man power here yet. On top of that water pressure was lost as pumps were burned and lost power. Can't fight a fire without water.
I've been watching news clips on the BC fires. What a nightmare. You guys have lots of fuel up there and when the trees go it is insane. I'm sorry to hear about the proximity of the fire(s) to your property. I've seen some of your posted photos and the location is beautiful.
Take care.
Fire Video
I thought I'd share these - just found them buried in my emails. The first video gives you a partial view of the fire that surrounded the lower 25 acres of the ranch. Only one structure was lost and 3 head of cattle. The second two vids are of the hay barn burning.
I thought I'd share these - just found them buried in my emails. The first video gives you a partial view of the fire that surrounded the lower 25 acres of the ranch. Only one structure was lost and 3 head of cattle. The second two vids are of the hay barn burning.
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Here's an update from the local newspaper - a story about one of our friends that lost her home in the Thomas Fire. Her home is (was) about a mile down the canyon from Willow Creek where we board our horses.
http://www.vcstar.com/story/news/lo...y-home-stranger-saved-their-horses/316707002/
http://www.vcstar.com/story/news/lo...y-home-stranger-saved-their-horses/316707002/
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Jeez Dennis, that's rough bud...
Bradrock
Veteran and General Yakker
Yeah - Stacy is a trooper tho... Every time I drive by a tear comes to my eye.
Wow - that burn is close to the barn. How'd you put it out?