h2owmn
Senior Member
Last Saturday afternoon (temperature 104) a wildfire started about 1.5 miles from my home. I was alerted by the Watch Duty app which indicates stats like acres and containment, as well as a map of required evacuation and "be ready to go" evacuation areas. Within an hour, the "be ready" area extended to my road.
I live at the end of a dead end road. I decided I needed to get my 17A out of here. Since the the terrible 2021 Caldor fire (300+ square miles, 1000+ structures in this county) during summer I'm always prepared with important papers, meds, some supplies, etc. so I gathered a few clothing items and a cooler and hitched up.
I had made a Safeway grocery order for pickup that day. I drove over there and talked to the "drive up and go" folks, who were so kind. I had three half gallons of ice cream in the order (grandkids arriving this weekend) which they volunteered to store until I could pick up in a few days. The two workers helped me get two large bags of ice and the groceries into the car. I knew it would take awhile for the refrigerator to cool down.
Next I called the local campground (which until recently was a KOA) about 5 miles away. They had spots available, and when I inquired about the price, the young lady said they were trying to get a special price for evacuees and not to worry.
My spot was lovely, near the fishing pond. I cranked up the AC, thankful that I had decided to have that option even though I've probably used it four times in six years. My apple AirPods pro with noise cancelling proved to have an unforeseen advantage!
By the next morning the "be ready" zone had been revised smaller, and I came home. I stayed hitched up until yesterday when the evacuation area and be ready area were cancelled.
I had not thought of it before, but I am fairly near the area's only hospital, which is an additional peace of mind. I'm sure that NOT evacuating a hospital was high on the defense list.
So there's yet another reason to be grateful for my Escape.
I live at the end of a dead end road. I decided I needed to get my 17A out of here. Since the the terrible 2021 Caldor fire (300+ square miles, 1000+ structures in this county) during summer I'm always prepared with important papers, meds, some supplies, etc. so I gathered a few clothing items and a cooler and hitched up.
I had made a Safeway grocery order for pickup that day. I drove over there and talked to the "drive up and go" folks, who were so kind. I had three half gallons of ice cream in the order (grandkids arriving this weekend) which they volunteered to store until I could pick up in a few days. The two workers helped me get two large bags of ice and the groceries into the car. I knew it would take awhile for the refrigerator to cool down.
Next I called the local campground (which until recently was a KOA) about 5 miles away. They had spots available, and when I inquired about the price, the young lady said they were trying to get a special price for evacuees and not to worry.
My spot was lovely, near the fishing pond. I cranked up the AC, thankful that I had decided to have that option even though I've probably used it four times in six years. My apple AirPods pro with noise cancelling proved to have an unforeseen advantage!
By the next morning the "be ready" zone had been revised smaller, and I came home. I stayed hitched up until yesterday when the evacuation area and be ready area were cancelled.
I had not thought of it before, but I am fairly near the area's only hospital, which is an additional peace of mind. I'm sure that NOT evacuating a hospital was high on the defense list.
So there's yet another reason to be grateful for my Escape.
