California is on Fire

Eric and I went camping over the weekend at Big Sur (more on that in another post). While we were there, we were talking about what it would be like if you went camping and were cut off from the world and when you returned to civilization you discoverd that a major disaster had occurred or something drastic had changed in your life. What would you do? How would it feel?

Unfortunately, we came back to civilization to find out that much of So Cal is on fire. It's so sad to hear the stories of the people who have lost their homes, their animals, their lives. I was brought to tears listening to a single father being interviewed on NPR yesterday. He and his two daughters had to leave in a cop car in the middle of the night. Their departure was so rushed that they were forced to leave their cat, fish and dog. The father didn't know what to do, so he left the front door open, hoping they'd escape. He later learned that his entire apartment complex had burned to the ground. Even worse, the SAME THING happened to him four years ago in the Cedar fire of 2003. I've heard so many people say they will stay there, they will rebuild. I'm not sure what I would do. I hope I never have to make that decision. Luckily, the Zaca Fire did not come near us and we are safe during these fires as well.

Here is a blog written by NY Times reporters that is tracking the fires: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/24/tracking-the-california-wildfires-ii/

What strikes me the most is the apparent randomness of the destruction.




It breaks my heart.