I was able to take a few snapshots of the fire’s aftermath this morning. Unfortunately, I had to take them as I drove because Blythe woke up at the ungodly hour of 5 AM and was falling asleep in the back seat. In contrast, this is a “before” picture of the rear of the property, from back in March. We had a picnic while getting the rental ready for the current tenants and took lots of photos. Several of these houses are gone now. Here’s the other side of the road, where it just kept on going.
This is where the fire started. Just beyond the trees is the mulch place, where it really got going.
The trees here used to be so thick, you couldn’t see into the place. All those mounds are mulch and bark, still smoldering.
You can see where the fire went along the road as well as along the fence line, burning away. The middle section is our rental property, where Jeremy disced. The fire couldn’t catch hold there.
The house on the left is our rental. The fire went completely around it – I can’t believe how lucky we were!
The fire went on a ways (where I can’t get to in a car) and came out here, which is behind our house. This is where I ran into the wall of fire and smoke while we were evacuating.
This is the right side view of the railroad tracks, shown above. The homes you see here are in a small subdivision that was just built a year or so ago. The fire came right up to their yards, but firefighters were able to divert it. It’s crazy to think that if the housing market hadn’t slowed down, you’d be looking at burned up houses right now.
And going.
Fortunately, between a farmer having his many acres irrigated for cattle as well as prepped for fire season, and helicopters defensively pouring water in the fire’s path, they were able to contain it and put it out only a few hours after it started. Four houses, an out building, a truss plant and the mulch place burned, along with hundreds of acres of grassland.
Looking at those photos, it is apparent even to those who aren’t familiar with ranching, that having acres upon acres of tall, dry grass is not a good idea. Even a disced fire break 15 feet wide is no match for a fire with 25 mile per hour winds pushing it along.
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9 replies on “The Aftermath”
Wow. That is scary. Doesn’t it seem like there are so many fires in California lately? Glad to hear your rental was safe.
Those photos really tell a story. You are very luck.
Wow. I truly can’t even imagine it…
Thank goodness you guys are all right!
I am so glad that I read these posts together and I knew you were all right. What a day. Glad that both your properties were spared and I hope that is the last of fires for this year!
You did a great job documenting this, and I’m really glad you were able to! As they say, luck favors the prepared, and you guys prepared enough to protect yourselves and your tenants. I hope they’re as grateful to you as they should be!
I have no idea what disced might be, but I’m sure glad you did it!
~Mike: I know, right? There was another fire less than a mile from our house today. WTF, fire?
~LiteralDan: They ARE grateful! Especially because the owner of a mobile home behind them had been trying to talk them into moving there, but they said no. It MELTED to the ground!
~Robin: Discing is when you pull a doo-hickey behind the tractor, breaking up the ground so that it’s super bumpy and the grass can’t grow because you’ve pulled up the roots. Then it’ll grow again through winter and spring. That’s my version of it, anyway!
~Christina, Kia, Sweetcheese, and Anymommy: We are SO lucky. I like to think somebody was looking out for us (Anymommy – maybe Poof Daddy?).
Thanks for coming by!
Wow. I remember the feeling of being evacuaated. Really scary! So glad that you and your property were all ok.