Thursday, October 25, 2007

On the Front Lines of a Fire

The big news these days is the fires in Southern California. By some it is considered just the latest in a cycle of western fires that began eleven to 12 years ago because of the combined influence of prolonged drought and overgrowth caused by the National Forest Services' policy of stopping all forest fires. The fuel for the fires this overgrowth created made the fires extremely intense. Some believe that because of the intensity of these fires it is sterilizing the earth, leaving it bear for erosion and ultimately will destroy some 50% of our National Forests.

The above photo is of Questa, New Mexico where I lived. May 5, 1996 I was in the direct path of the Hondo Fire one of the first of the "super fires" the west would come to know intimately. Within an hour after the Hondo Fire started near San Cristobal the neighboring town of Lama was burned through. Some structures remained, but many were destroyed. The fire set a ground speed record of nine miles in an hour without crowning. I stood on my front lawn and watched in horror as it topped the mountain and began its decent down into our valley.

Families up the valley in Red River and portions of the town of Questa, where I lived, were evacuated. Before this incident was over, about 2,000 individuals were displaced or evacuated from their homes for some as much as three weeks, some 10,000 acres burned, and portions of some highways were closed to all but local residents and fire traffic. The summer tourist season, a major source of income for the area was destroyed. For 22 days we stood ready to evacuate at any moment. Our route would have to be up through our fields and over the irrigation ditch because the roads out would be blocked by the fire. We stayed because of our animals and livestock. There was at the time no plans for their evacuation

The fire line was a half mile from my house. Every time the wind shifted at night I or my husband was instantly awake. For that 22 days we got little sleep. All it took was breeze to ignite the smoldering Ponderosas and set the hills on fire again. It has been almost 12 years and the forest has not recovered. All the snow covered area used to be lush forest. Even the Aspens have not reclaimed the land. If it were not for the drought the hillside would wash into the Red River which runs at it foot.

We had national news coverage until they used the word contained. My friends thought we were then safe. I moved the next year to a wider valley and the wet slope of the mountains. I was very specific with my real estate agent: No trees. Listening to the coverage of the Southern California fires I know what lies ahead for them even if their houses survive. Your sense of safety is gone and so is all the attention you got during the emergency. You are left to deal with your post traumatic stress syndrome on your own. It broke up my marriage and it scattered friends far and wide. Just when you need community the most it, like the forest, is devastated.

6 comments:

  1. Hi Jacqui, it's Lina. I read what you wrote at Kathy's, and I agree, it does feel safe here. I'm posting a link to your blog on mine, I have only a few Yahoo friends there, most people prefer Multiply. I like it too, but it's a kind of giant playground, like Mash. Have a lovely day, hugs.

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  2. Hello Charley! I am another new kid on the block here and following Nightowl's example and postign a link to your page here on my blogger profile. I am getting it to mirror my 360 blog at the moment.
    At least, there is now a safety net if 360 suddenly implodes...

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  3. Hi Jacqui, I'm finally up and running here (sort of!). I'm going to have a page here and one on Multiply, and import one blog to the other (once I figure that out). I've been playing on this site, and I kind of like it, so I think I will stay. I copied Lina's idea and put your link on my page too, I hope that is ok.

    This was an amazing, heart-breaking blog. First of all, the picture is absolutely gorgeous. I can't even imagine the horror and fear in watching that fire come towards you. It may sound strange, but I always think too of all of the animals in the paths of those fires, not understanding the horror that has been unleashed on them. It's a true nightmare scenario. I am glad you were not hurt, but so sorry you went through such an awful experience. My heart breaks for those in S. California.

    Big hugs, and I'm looking forward to reading your blogs over here. I think my 360 is totally dead.

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  4. OK, Blogger needs Quick Comments and private messages! Unless it has them, and I haven't found them yet LOL. I like it better here than I thought I would.

    As to Multiply, you are right about the name thing. That annoyed me too. But the blogs can be individually set to private. So if you want to put something on public, you don't have to make them all public, which I really like. I am having some confusion there too -- I have gotten private messages, but I can't figure out how to find them after I've read them, if that makes sense. All in all, the many blog sites have left me a bit headachy. But, in the end, if I don't lose my friends, I will get used to it.

    That is SO bizarre about people being added to your 360! I don't think that has happened to me yet, but I will check it out. It has gone wacky over there.

    Can I add you on Multiply? Or if you know my page, can you add me?

    Anyway, I'm glad to be here, so thanks for the tip. Hugs!

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  5. Hehehe...did you checked...I did put a link from my blogger to yours...lol and stoled your counter.

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  6. Hi Charley / Jacqui! Yep, here I am. Slowly feeling my way on blogger. Still don't know how to do most things but I guess that's just a matter of trial and error...

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