BUGGED OUT !!!

WE HAD THE DAY OFF (TUES) BUT WERE HANGING CLOSE TO CAMP TO MONITOR THE FIRE SITUATION. THE FIRE AT THAT TIME WAS 40% CONTAINED AND WE HAD DECIDED WE WERE PRETTY MUCH OUT OF DANGER. MARY HAD WALKED DOWN TO THE “Y” TO THE STORES LOOKING FOR NEW SHOES AND PICKING UP A COUPLE OF THINGS AT THE GROCERY. SHE CALLED ME ON THE CELL AND SUGGESTED A BEER AT BROTHER’S.

WHILE WE WERE ENJOYING AN AFTERNOON COCKTAIL PEOPLE BEGAN GATHERING OUTSIDE ON THE PATIO TO OBSERVE A HUGH PLUM OF NEW WHITE AND ORANGE COLORED SMOKE. THE FIREFIGHTERS HAD WHAT THEY CALL A “FLOP-OVER” OR BREAKOUT OF THE FIRE. IT JUMPED THE MAIN HIGHWAY AND WAS HEADED TO THE LAKE SHORE. DURING THE “FLOP-OVER” TWO FORESTRY FIREFIGHTERS WERE TRAPPED. THEY FOUND A LOW GRASSY PLACE AND DEPLOYED THEIR FIRE TENT. WHEN THESE FIRE FIGHTERS ARE TRAINED IN THIS PROCEDURE THEY ARE BLUNTLY TOLD THEIR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL IS 25%. THANK GOD, THEY BOTH SURVIVED.

WHILE ON THE PATIO AT BROTHER’S DURING THIS “FLOP-OVER” THE HI WAY IN FRONT OF THE BAR WAS CLOSED, AND NO LESS THAN 40 FIRE ENGINES WENT SCREAMING BY, AND THAT’S NOT COUNTING FIRE SUV’S AND POLICE CARS.

WE WENT HOME TO CHECK THE DETAILS AND FOUND OUT THEY HAD MANDATORY EVACUATIONS JUST UP THE ROAD FROM BROTHERS. THAT MEANS EVACUATIONS HAD OCCURRED 3 MILES WEST OF US ON SUNDAY AND NOW 1.5 MILES NORTH OF US TODAY. OUR MAIN ESCAPE ROUTE IS TO THE EAST AND WE DIDN’T LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING BOXED IN BY FIRE TO THE WEST AND NORTH SO DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO “GET OUT OF DODGE”. THE SITUATION JUST BECAME TOO STRESSFUL FOR US. WE WEREN’T SLEEPING RIGHT AND APPREHENSIVE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HIGH WINDS DUE ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY BLOWING THE FIRE OUR WAY. WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE MONDAY AND TUESDAY OFF SO COULD REACT QUICKLY, BUT WE HAVE TO WORK AT 6AM TOMORROW. WE JUST DECIDED WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR MIND ON OUR JOBS. WE ALSO KNOW THAT SEVERAL OF OUR CO-WORKERS HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES.

WE’RE BACK AT SILVER CITY RV PARK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN IN THE CARSON VALLEY FOR AT LEAST A WEEK, SAFE AND SOUND. DUE TO THE MANDATORY EVACUATIONS IT TOOK US AN HOUR AND A HALF TO PULL THE CAMPER JUST 30 MILES DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.

“SMOKEY & 80”