FIRE ESCAPE

   In September 2020, Rich’s sister Nancy sent us an email telling us she had to evacuate from the Glass Fire zone in Sonoma County.  The fire was close but they were safe.  This is the 3^rd time in a year they had to evacuate. 

 This jarred my memories of fleeing fires in the Tustin Hills.

 The first incident was in 1980 when I emerged from an afternoon chorale rehearsal at Foothill High school.  The skies were gray, smoke in the air, and ash falling like snow.  I had no idea there was a fire nearby.  As I walked to the parking lot, I saw Rich and the kids waiting for me. 

     He said, “We had to evacuate.  There’s a fire in the canyon back of our house.” 

I was dumbfounded.  He had made arrangements with friends who lived nearby for us to go there to wait it out.  There was no television to watch the fire progress. 

          Later that evening, we were cleared to return home.  The air was smokey.  Fortunately, we did not have smoke damage inside the house as Rich had closed all the windows.  As we looked over the canyon, we could see the fence posts and tree stumps glowing in the dark.  The next morning we saw the extent of the burn which was on the far side of the stream toward a eucalyptus grove.  After this, we installed double-paned windows to keep out any future smoke damage.

 

The Modjeska Canyon fire was the second threat (1993?).  The sky was filled with ash and smoke.  We were not required to evacuate but there was no telling which way the wind would blow the embers.  We were on alert.  James, a high school student at the time, was home with me so the two of us watered the shake roof. He watered from the front and I, from the back.  We did the best we could with our garden hoses and pressure nozzles.  Fortunately, the fire did not spread our way.  Whew! Afterward, we installed an asphalt roof.

 

The third incident was in 2007 when we were in Xian China as Global Volunteers.  Because James and I shared a family plan cell phone account, a call would be free, if there were an emergency. Of course, I said “emergency only.”  I would keep my cell phone active.  One evening my cell rang. My heart jumped when I saw he was calling.

          He said, “Mom, there’s a fire in the canyon and you might have to evacuate.  What do you want Steph and me to take out of the house?  Where are the car keys so we can drive the cars out?” 

At first, I could not believe what I was hearing.  Maria was house sitting with the dog and she would be in danger.  The only thing I could think of was my computer with all the family information and the irreplaceable family photos.

“…and anything else you think important,” I told him.

          Rich and I had to ponder, “What would it be like if our house burned down while we were in China. We would come home to a burned-out house!”  We scoured the TV for news in English.  We could only find world news.  No world news program was going to report on a fire in Tustin, CA.  We just had to wait.  Another text from James came saying, “I’ve packed the van ready to go.”  He attached a photo taken from our back patio showing the fire on the Peter’s Canyon hill.  It was real! 

          The next morning at breakfast we told our team our latest news.  Some asked if we were going to rush home.  We decided there was nothing we could do by rushing home.  If the fire moved closer, the house would already be up in smoke by now.

Fortunately, the wind blew the fire up the hillside away from the homes.  At that time, there were no homes in danger.  When we returned home, the van was still packed and we saw what James and Steph thought to be important.  They gathered photos from all over the house, and some antique items, some with keepsake value. Greatly relieved, we unpacked the van.

 

The fourth time was in 2017 when the fire started in Orange Park Acres, about five miles away.  The sky was filled with smoke and warnings were sent out.  Rich and I packed the van and our cars.  The street access to our area was blocked for only residents and fire personnel.  At about 1 PM we were told to evacuate.  We went to James’ house in the flatlands of Orange off Tustin.  This time, there was TV news coverage constantly.

By 5 pm we could see the fire raging through the canyon.  By 6 PM we watched the airdrop of pink fire retardant.  The aerial view showed firemen putting out a hotspot on the backside of the hill just off our property.  We recognized our house.  There was a fire truck parked on our driveway and one on the street.  By nightfall, we could only see flames as we hoped our house was spared.  We spent the night at James’ where they gave us their bedroom and they took the sofas.

In the morning, we saw a smoldering canyon on television but we were still not allowed back into the area until 3 PM.  Homes near the canyon floor got scorched but our house was safe on the hill.

When we returned home, we saw where the hot spot was put out—about 120 feet from the house.  The 100-foot back yard hose was extended all the way.  We were told firemen camped out on our patio to keep an eye on the house.  Bless them!  The next day I took the dog for a walk around the neighborhood to survey the damage.  Fire trucks were still patrolling the area and several houses on the edge of the canyon suffered serious damage.  None completely burned down but the repair would be extensive.  Other houses were covered with pink retardant.

         Fire damage comes with the territory of living in wilderness areas.  We experienced the possibility of everything you own will be taken.  It makes you assess what is valuable in life.  The insurance would cover the “things” but you have to hang on to each other and God. 

         Fire is the most serious threat to living there. We have had bobcats, coyotes, deer, skunks, raccoons, and other fauna including rats and termites.  We were blessed the 41 years we lived there.  The vegetation in the park has grown back and is beautiful.  Our grandchildren are now enjoying the pleasures of living on the canyon.