Paradise Fire

At 10:45 a.m. the first cloud of smoke was seen gaining size rapidly coming from Hwy 114 to my west.  By 11:00 the 50 mph winds had moved the fire storm a mile and within yards of my house forcing me back as I tired to return to drive out one more car. I left the doors open, purse inside and ran with our dog to my car which I had moved about 100yards down the road. The HEAT, ash, and smoke took my breath away as I gave up saving anything else. The sky was hidden and the day turned to dusk with the clouds of thick smoke. And to think I had hooked up a hose to help. I can not find the words to express the power and force of this huge blanket of fire that rolled towards our Paradise farm. I drove 1/4 mile to the river bridge and parked again. I couldn't force myself any further away yet. The bend in the river and the trees, although without leaves, blocked the view of my farm. Gary joined me, at the bridge, after the threat of handcuffs had forced  him  to leave. We watched until we could see the bright orange glare of flames through the trees. His hay barn was burning and to get to his barn the fire had to come through  my farm. I didn't realize the fire was on both sides of the road until much later but as we watched the barn burn we could see the racing fire was on the South side coming towards us again. The emergency teams finally forced us another 1/2 mile to hwy 51 where we all waited for hours to get back and see what our fate was. Here are a few pictures taken once we got back down our road. 

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west of our driveway, trailers burning still-the way it ALL came field w. of us burned it's way to us east side fire burned up to tires on truck-Gary's hay barn burning in background same side at the fence line where leaves were piled burned down against the barn Gary's tractor shed, notice diesel tank not hurt three cords of wood WERE there  John's tire in that shed
DAY 2 of the fire up the road 026.jpg (96117 bytes) DAY 2 of the fire up the road 029.jpg (83118 bytes) DAY 2 of the fire up the road 031.jpg (72009 bytes) DAY 2 of the fire up the road 032.jpg (47906 bytes) DAY 2 of the fire up the road 033.jpg (34363 bytes) DAY 2 of the fire up the road 034.jpg (104745 bytes) DAY 2 of the fire up the road 024.jpg (55523 bytes)
Hay barn is cooling almost pretty inside the main barn still "hot" amazing small glow ground zero 114 where it started
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as point zero fans and takes off ~there was a trailer house CR 3390 starting towards US No Ranch Mike's house is completely gone The drive way to his house Chimney left standing Next to Mike, there was a trailer and another
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and more trailers that were road our side of RR tracks as fire really took off opposite side of our road, old trailer Next trailers same trailer getting near us Us in the back ground from our drive
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trailer view from our house the car I couldn't get out west side of garage with suet  across the west and pine trees was Mike's house horses right behind our house on last small patch of grass looking north west leaves and plants burned but nothing up to it or away from it?
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burned across horse area front barn yard west side of barn-chickens right behind the plastic/tarps in deep wood shavings back/north of barn back of barn burned around to the east side/melted plastic trash bags full of paper  back pasture
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2 cords of wood stacked Gary and John looking over hay lot Paradise Volunteers  hay barn burning smoldering  round bale burned out burned tires
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our yard and farm across road Trucks drove in one drive way and out the other.   Fire truck tracks across the yard burned fence posts How do you cut this fence? Paradise volunteers 

A total of 14 structures were lost. Nine homes, mostly being trailers, were gone. No injuries to residents were reported. As you can see from the pictures my farm was spared from ANY serious damages! My birds and horses were not injured or lost. Our house and barn should have burned. This has to be a miracle. The four families who live at the end of the CR all have our homes standing. My neighbor across the street has screens melted, windows shattered from heat. His shrubs are burned right up to his foundation but his home was not burned other wise. Gary lost all his hay but friends have already brought more and dropped it off in his lot. The utility companies, phone company, sheriff department were all here the next day checking on damages and loss. Insurance adjusters have been out for two days. I know Paradise will be rebuilt again. Give us a little rain, warm weather and the next few months should be a NEW beginning for lots here on 3390.

 

 

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