Shar- How is everything there?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-24-2003
Shar- How is everything there?
8
Thu, 08-21-2003 - 11:33am
I know you're not on the mainland, but the news reports are sounding more and more grim?

They are talking of curtailing travel to Vancouver. I would think that the air must be quite thick in Victoria, too.

I wish we could send lots and lots of rain your way....

Thinking of you and your family and friends and especially your son. Hope he comes home soon.

*Shayna*

Avatar for ive_got_five
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-11-2001
Thu, 08-21-2003 - 12:27pm
Thanks for thinking of us Shayna. We are doing well here and oh so glad to be home from our vacation. We drove through the Okanagan to Banff and Canmore. There were a few fires on the way, including one just inside the Banff gates (not far from my niece's home). But the worst was on the way home. We stayed overnight in Kelowna and notice a fire on the mountain south of the city. It wasn't too terribly large at that time (20 sq. kilometers when we left on Tuesday morning). When we got home we heard that they started issuing evacuation alerts to people at 3 in the afternoon. That particular fire grew by 5 X over night and is now threatening the south end of the city of Kelowna and also the vineyards and homes in north Naramata. The fire fighters said they have never seen anything like it. It is moving so fast they can't do anything to stop it. Unfortunately, they are calling for temps near 40 and high winds again today! Plus the city of Kamloops has fires burning to the south, east and west! It's unbelievable. Over 900 fires at the moment! I went to the grocery store yesterday and when I opened the door to get in, I could still smell the residual smoke from the drive down.

We are extremely dry here and there are patches on the median coming into the city that have been burned, but so far (touch wood) we are safe and sound. All trails and back country are closed throughout southern BC and Alberta and most parks, etc. in the cities. We are expecting showers on Saturday, but in all honesty, I don't think it will be much. We've had 2 "showers" in the last 2 months and it lasted for about 1/2 hour!!! Air quality here is still pretty good though. It was a relief to get home and breath some fresh air!

And the best news is...my ds is home safely for now.

Thanks for asking.

Shar

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-24-2003
Thu, 08-21-2003 - 12:43pm
Oh, I am Sooooo happy for you that he is home. I hope things don't get even further out of hand so that he won't have to be called back.

I remember last summer when we had fires burning way up North, the haze carried so far South. It was so eerie to see everything with an orange glow.

It has to be mighty scary to anyone living near it.

Take care and enjoy the presence of your DS..

Hugs,

*Shayna*

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 08-21-2003 - 12:59pm
Very happy to hear your son is home. I really feel for you. I remember when Florida went through a similar thing several years ago. Even though the closest fire was miles away, we had ashes falling from the sky and covering cars and other outdoor things, and the air burned my lungs if I stayed out very long. Orlando was covered by a huge haze which blocked the sun and made it seem almost like night when I traveled down there for Pilates classes.

I wish I could send some of our downpours up that way to help out. We missed getting rain for just a few days, and plants were already shriveling from the summer heat. Hopefully, the rains you're expecting will be greater and longer than the previous ones. Seems there's always extremes of weather instead of a happy medium. It's hurricane season down here through Oct., so we're praying we won't have one of those.

Take care.

Rhonda

       ~~Rhonda~~


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 08-21-2003 - 1:39pm
I'm so glad you and your family are safe, Shar. Your ds is very brave & what a relief that he is back home safely. Will keep you and yours in my prayers and hope you all get some good downpours.

Hugs,

Kat

Katherine (Kat)
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-03-2001
Thu, 08-21-2003 - 2:16pm
Shar, so glad your DS is home.Hope you all get some rain soon.

Miss P




 

Avatar for free2beme482
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 08-21-2003 - 8:58pm
My niece is a firefighter (I know its a strange profession for a girl - and she bakes nice cakes too) and I heard from my sister that she is in Vancouver right now alongside the other firefighters.

She was also fighting the fires that hit Montana a few years ago. She goes wherever and whenever she's needed. She's also a forest ranger.

The methods used to fight fires in a forest are very different from fighting fires in buildings.

Hope all the fires come to an end soon.

Catherine.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-27-2001
Thu, 08-21-2003 - 10:58pm
I'm glad that you are safe and that your ds is, too. Yesterday we had smoke and haze here in SD from the fires in Montana. That stuff really can carry a long ways. Take care. Nancy
Nancy

"Make Choices that bring you joy"  cl-Patty


 


iVillage Member
Registered: 04-24-2003
Thu, 08-21-2003 - 11:48pm
Catherine,

We will keep your niece in our prayers. I have the utmost respect for all those who step up to protect others. I hope that the predictions are wrong and that there will be lots and lots of rain to quench those fires and that she will soon return safely home.

*Shayna*