Southern California Fires

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My wife has been in San Diego for the last week to be with her father. He passed away a few days ago, so she has been dealing with those emotional, but important, issues surrounding the death of a loved one. She has been helping to orchestrate his final wishes. Bill had a "death box" with his will, important papers, receipts for burial arrangements, etc. He even took the time to paint the box black and write in big letters - The Death Box. As macabre as the name sounds, many elderly people have the foresight to do this. It makes it so much easier than digging through mounds of accumulated papers and disorganized files. At 91 years old, Bill knew that he would be dying at some point. He created this box years ago, and sadly, it had to be opened this week.

In the midst of this tearful time for our family, there are other reasons to cry. Within view of my father-in-law's home, she can see at least two of the fires that are now devastating the San Diego area. Smoke is everywhere. Up to a half million people may require evacuation and shelter. So far, only one life has been lost due to the fires, but hundreds and hundreds of homes filled with treasures and memories have already been destroyed. At this point, no one has announced a cause, but many are caused by human error; or as I like to call it - blatant stupidity.

California appears to have some of the worst fires in the nation. After I bought my first home tucked away in the hills of Marin county in the early '70s, we nearly had a fire destroy our home. Started by some children starting a campfire, it destroyed a dozen homes. While it was burning rapidly toward our home, my former wife called our insurance company to increase our policy! We had just completed some expensive home improvements and had not adjusted our policy. Fortunately, our home was spared.

Less than a decade ago, the Oakland Hills went up in smoke. The fire was so hot and so devastating that only ashes remained of people's lives. A friend of mine lost everything, including her beloved dog. As she walked through the remains of her stately home, the only thing she found was a diamond from her grandmother's wedding ring. The fire-proof box that it was in did not prove to be fire-proof. The gold setting had melted away, but a tiny black stone remained. When polished, this family gem was the only thing that survived.

Last year, I posted a blog about my fire-happy, weekend neighbor who likes to light campfires and torches in the middle of a bone-dry summer on his undeveloped lot. This idiot now has a huge pile of branches and leaves covered with a tarp, waiting for the "okay" from the Fire District to announce a Burn Day. Burn Days are important in our area since it does eliminate dry fuel that could lead to a devastating fire, but homeowners must be absolutely diligent when doing so. This neighbor does not have electricity or water. I guess he thinks he can beat out a fire that gets out of control with a shovel. I must keep a constant watch when the moron is around. I have the number for the Fire District on speed-dial.

Hopefully, my wife will be able to drive home today. I have been watching the news carefully to make sure there is a safe route, free from the many rapidly-changing wild fires, hurricane-force winds, and choking smoke. Right now, she is safe and the fires are burning in a different direction. She has options to stay with family if conditions are not safe to drive.

My heart goes out to all of those people who have lost their homes and their possessions; to those that are sleeping on a mat in at Qualcom Stadium (home to the NFL San Diego Chargers), to those in parking lots caring for their pets, and to the thousands of fire-fighters who risk their lives. I pray that the winds will abate and the fires will be out soon; and that further lives will be spared.

Southern California Fires, Part 2

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: End of Life Options
• Preparing for Disaster

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