Posted on 09/11/2020 3:20:09 PM PDT by AuntB
I got a call from my son in Calif about 1 pm Tuesday. He was listening to police scanner.. said a fire was coming my way... didn't make sense, this area has never had a fire. It's the city!
I went outside in our beautiful peaceful Sr. retirement village to a bank of thick smoke and saw a raging fire. It seemed 10 miles away. The wind was whipping in every direction and took me off my feet several times.
I've been through this before living in the woods of No. Calif. I was prepared then. This home was in the city... I prepared for that. Not for this.
I immediately ran to the neighbors homes to warn them. They mocked me. No one would budge. I tried to water my house and house next door who were gone camping. NO one ever warned anyone. There was NOTHING on local radio and TV. NOTHING.
Was I being silly? I am disabled and in pain, not to mention being 70 years old and weighing 95 lbs. So I decided to grab Bugs the cat and what I needed for 2 or 3 days of evacuation. The cat can't go to a shelter. I was met with a 4 lane wall of evacuees when I tried to get on the main street. It took me 5 hours to drive 25 miles. Finally spent the night in the car in a parking lot in Rogue River, Oregon, then drove to a friends where I can stay a few days near Eugene, Or.
On my way, the manager of our park called to say my home was gone. Nothing left. Only 5 of 55 homes were standing. No firefighters were available, but the manager finally got there and got the people to leave. I had called him first and he was stuck in evacuee traffic. He had no warning either. 100 old people plus several more parks were left to burn with NO warning, but he finally got them all out. We have no rentals in this area, no motel room left, one full shelter, and NO one is providing any assistance to anyone.
I got out with the clothes on my back and Bugs the cat.
It looks like Dresden. But the insult of losing everything isn't enough. I remembered Facebook and the pictures of my ancestors and long gone family was still there!! I tried all night.. no facebook without passwords....I didn't even take my computer. I lost it all.
The post office charges you and demands a credit card to forward mail. My bank even burned down.
I pray my neighbors all survived. But I have no idea where we all will go. You can't even rent without 'papers'.
I wished there was something I could do to help you out B. Glad you were at least able to get out with your life. Hopefully as the smoke settles, you’ll get some aid and at least temporary shelter. I can’t imagine losing a home in an event like that. I’ve been up close to some of these wildfires over the years and hope I never have to deal with that again. Keep posting your status if you’re able to.
Please keep us posted so we can help.
You have my earnest prayers!
Thank God for your son’s call.
Glad you have your kitty.
This is horrible. Praying that you will get the help you need.
A Go Fund Me page would seem appropriate or paypal - but I don’t have any idea how those things work.
I think Hildy is getting the ball rolling on that.
Good Lord!
You have our prayers!
Glad you and the kittie are Ok but I am so sorry for your losses.
Hugs & so thankful you & your baby got out safely. I also would like to help.
I am SO sorry to hear this, but so thankful you/kitty are okay.
My heart and prayers go out to you and this terrible situation.
Please keep us posted and let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.
Bump that!!
Please keep me posted.
AuntB - here are some temporary shelters in the Eugene area. Not sure if you’re anywhere close.
Silke Field
908 N 10th Ave
Springfield, OR 97477
Cottage Grove Masonic Hall
33322 Row River Road
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Springfield High School
875 7th Street
Springfield, OR 97477
There is also this one near Albany, which is about an hour north of you:
Linn-Benton County Fairgrounds
3700 Knox Butte Rd E
Albany, OR 97322
Will keep checking and post more on this thread
as I find it.
Good luck to you and Bugs.
Here
I am so sorry, AuntB. You certainly don’t deserve this, nobody does.
Anything a Tennessean can do to help, feel free to ask...
“local transient” that in it self don’t make much sense. People are sick.
May the Lord watch over you and bless you. Amen.
5.56mm
I’m so sorry to hear this, you poor sweetheart! I’ll be praying for you. Stuff can be replaced, you can’t. I hope you are safe now.
AuntB, I am so sorry to hear of your devastating fire loss. Please post back if there is any way to get help to you. Do you have paypal?
Since Trump issued the Conflagration Emergency order, perhaps there will be help for many who lost their houses.
I will pray for you.
OMG - glad you’re out and safe... you’re in my prayers.
It's not like the city. Getting the word out to everyone is nye impossible. There are properties spread all over the valley and hillsides. They are both so small (Phoenix pop. 4,650 and Talent, pop. 6500) that they don't have many resources, equipment or staff to handle large, devastating disasters like this without help from the state and federal government.
The Harry and David fruit company and a lot of their orchards are in Medford and Phoenix. Their pear orchards used to surround my farm. They are probably burnt to the ground now.
These little towns will take decades to recover if they ever do. There is not much of an economy there except timber receipts and much of that has now gone up in smoke.
So sad.
Praying for you.
You are Courageous!!! You are safe!!
We are here for you with prayers and support.
Mercy
Thank God that you and Bugs got out okay.
I will pray that you find proper lodging and help.
keep me informed, okay?
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