For all of us who have lived through major fire events

[Unwind Your Mind]

I’m just sitting here feeling sick to my stomach and feel like I need some commiseration

Our worst was 2017, there have been others. Most agree that we all have been traumatized

How are you all doing today?

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Stay safe! I know this must be terrifying for you.

[Unwind Your Mind]

3. I'm nowhere close this time, my people are all safe

I’m just upset anyway. Thank you for saying though 😊

[usonian]

2. I looked at homes in Paradise CA before buying elsewhere. It later burned to the ground.

But there's no escaping. Only one evacuation here for a nearby small-ish fire.

This is what hurts a lot, even when one is safe.

Oak Fire arson suspect arrested on many counts
Man remains jailed; damage caused is in millions of dollars
June 22, 2023

A Midpines man who claimed on social media he is an ex-firefighter has been arrested for arson in connection with the most destructive wildfire in the history of Mariposa County.

Edward Frederick Wackerman, 71, was arrested on June 16 and charged with multiple counts in connection with the blaze, which destroyed 127 homes and 66 outbuildings in Mariposa County. It burned just over 19,000 acres.

I was in the phone/internet company office when a woman walked in to cancel service. "My home burned down"

[Unwind Your Mind]

4. That one was especially terrible

My cousin’s MIL lost her house but she got out, so many didn’t

[KitFox]

5. Traumatized is right

Thank you for posting this. I feel exactly as you do. Was evacuated in 2020 for more than a week and it was terrifying. My home was spared but so many lost everything. The experience pops up quite often in my memory and I find myself worrying during the dry months. Anyone having experienced this close at hand feels empathy for those experiencing the horror and you feel helpless. Sending caring hugs to you Unwind Your Mind and others feeling that same feeling in the pit of your stomach. Thank you again for posting this. It’s like we can have a virtual cup of tea together and find comfort in shared experience. 🩷🩷🩷

[Unwind Your Mind]

9. Thank you for saying so 😊

[Auggie]

6. It's a wake-up call to get stuff in order. Not just important papers ...

but your house as well. Fireproof the landscape, install fireproof crawlspace and attic vents, etc. We're about to undergo a lot of those upgrades this year.

Some homeowners in Paradise (2018) that kept their houses from burning had done just that.

[FirstLight]

7. The Caldor Fire here in the Sierras was our "big one"

hard to believe it was just a few years ago. I can remember evacuating and the fear and stress for almost 2 weeks while we waited for news if it was gonna get worse or better...

I am reminded daily by the view from my house how close we came... It miraculously went over the opposite ridge and burned into non-populated areas. The work of Cal Fire to save Tahoe Paradise/Christmas Valley was nothing short of magic. The fire literally jumped over and entire subdivision and then went on ... came right up to the back door of some of the houses! Not one structure was lost IN the Tahoe Basin...but plenty was lost all the way from Strawberry up the hill.

I can't watch live feed of fire coverage due to trauma. My heart breaks for those who lost everything, even lives.

[Unwind Your Mind]

8. I can see the burn scar from 2020 where I sit right now (Glass Fire)

It’s actually starting to green up a little, lots of dead trees still though

I’m thankful we’ve had a lot of rain the last few months