NaBloPoMo-Day15
This is my 30th
(My 29th- for Together was at Small Reflections)This week's theme is Ruin(ed)
In yesterday's Haiku at Small Reflections I wrote about the Montecito Firestorm south of Santa Barbara that destroyed hundreds of homes, and below I share images found on the Internet in the aftermath ... 
The 'ruined' Montecito Monestery above ...below a collage I created with PSE6 using Internet images
taken during the disaster and after the fire passed.
As I write this morning, I'm listening to news of a new firestorm in Sylmar located north of Los Angeles in the foothills of Angeles National Forest ... near an area that burned just last month. Apparently it started last night around 10pm & resulting from the same 'windy weather conditions' that caused yesterdays burn in Montecito.Although 500 fire-fighters were 'in place' and ready to respond in the area due to 'red flag' warnings because of extremely low humidity & Santa Ana winds, there was no way to contain it with 60mph winds gusting & swirling ... creating extremely dangerous conditions for fire-fighters.
More than 2700 acres have burned ... 5,000 residents have been asked to evacuate ... some homes have been destroyed and thousands of structures are threatened. Olive View Medical Center (a hospital in the area) is without power (when back up generators failed after electricity went out). They've evacuated critical care patience from their ICU but are working with flashlights while workers are attempting to restore power as quickly as possible.
Please pray for quick containment and for everyone affected ... especially the fire-fighters facing dangerous conditions on precarious terrain.
Click for others participating in Photo Hunt this week.
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this video containing food for thought.
It's well worth your time!
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7:25 am Update
The firestorm is moving quickly & unpredictably driven by winds of up to 70mph ... destroying dozens of 'manufactured homes' in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park located just north of the 210 freeway as well as conventional houses in residential neighborhoods and causing 5000 more residents to leave the area bringing the total to 10,000 evacuees moving to several new temporary 'shelters' at high schools in the area. Click for an 'interactive map' of the Sylmar fire to see the areas affected.
If you've not yet seen it, click to check out this video containing food for thought.
It's well worth your time!
Thought for Today
"You have to do something in your life that is honorable and not cowardly if you are to live in peace with yourself, and for the firefighter it is fire." Larry Brown
12 comments:
Your area of the world has been in my thoughts and prayers the last couple of days.
Wow, those are some nice shots of a bad situation.
At night I can pick up a Los Angeles AM radio station. Usually it has boring traffic which puts me to sleep. But last night it had reporters at the Sylmar fire and I said many prayers for everyone involved.
Wildfires are so tragic! Here in NY, we don't have too many (none, that I can think of!) but we do suffer floods. :( Fire and water can be so helpful but also so ruinous. The photos are excellent.
I did Photo Hunt today, too. I hope you get a chance to visit and leave your link!
http://newyorktraveler.net/photo-hunters-ruined/
Have a great weekend!
I hope you are safe.
Thoughts and prayers!
Patsy, Lisa, Kara, Mrs. Mecomber, MaryAnn, and Eric – Thanks to each of you for dropping by my Photo Hunt earlier, expressing your concern about the wildfires, and offering your prayers for those involved. I plan to do another update shortly but thought I’d take a minute to respond here in ‘comments’ first. I'm safe currently even as a 3rd fire has broken out about a half hour south and east of my location. We all appreciate your thoughts and prayers.
Hugs and blessings,
It seems California has more than it's share of wildfires. It is so sad, it just breaks my heart. I pray every time I hear of another fire that it will put out quickly.
Mine's here
This is so tragic. The damage is unbelievable! It's amazing the strength mother nature has. Here in Michigan we mostly worry about tornadoes, snow storms and flooding. We had one Tornado rip through my neighborhood a few years ago. I was hiding away in our basement with only my little girl and the two dogs. I was terrified. Of course the hubby was at work. No damage to my home but 5 miles down the road was horrific damage. No deaths but lots of missing cows, horses, etc. Scary stuff! Take care and be safe.
It's so sad to see those firestorms. I grew up in Southern California and still have family living there so I was watching for news on these fires. You really did a nice collage with the during and after photos. I hope that you stay safe.
I heard reports about this on the radio while I was out running around today. I didn't realize it was this bad, however.
I'm worried about the fires, but man--I really like that collage!! You're learning some neat things in your classes!!
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