Oregon fires

[Rainman]

Well, damn.
We just got text messages that we're been honored to move to level 2.

A friend of mine Fred Charlton is the chief for Clackamas County fire district. Clackamas county is huge, goes all the way from Portland suburbs to Mt. Hood. He said he pulled all firefighters from the merging two fires nearest to us, they can't fight it. They'll pull back and regroup. Interesting how all interagency police are working together, there are Milwaukie police cruising through Oregon City, and Molalla, which is being evacuated. Wonder if Antifa will consider all this some sort of auto-pilot and they won't burn things down tonight?

This is all about me, of course. The areas that are burning are my motorcycle routes, beautiful country to ride through, and now they're, what, like burned up? No way, I don't believe it, they couldn't do that to me.

One of my wife's sisters lives in Beavercreek. They were at the Dr. when they got a text message level 3, they can't even go home to collect stuff, the cops and firefighters have the roads closed. My wife's other sister lives in Estacada, also evacuated. She lives in a beautiful large house in the woods. That doesn't look good.

I just told my wife WE ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF ICE CREAM!!

Dammit!!
How does everything go bad at the same time. Nonsense. All of it.

And the smoke is starting to get me angry. Everything stinks like a campfire, and it looks like December fog outside. 6:30 pm and it looks like it's getting dark outside.

Other than that, everything's fine. How are all of you doing? I wonder about Kincaid, he lives somewhere around Portland as I recall.

[George K]

@George-K said in Oregon fires:

Jesus.

[taiwan_girl]

@Rainman
@brenda

Sending good thoughts to you and your relatives.

Though I am sure you would rather that I send a couple of inches of rain rather than good thoughts!

Be safe and be smart!!!!

[Rainman]

Well, we just booked a hotel for 2 nights. If we get a level 1 in the middle of the night, at least we have someplace to go. Thanks for the kind thoughts everyone. Just crazy, I'm all ready for New Year's eve, kick 2020 into history.

[LuFins Dad]

Good, but what about the ice cream?

[jon-nyc]

Pack the things you care about now and put them in the car

Stay safe my friend.

Twitter is saying the Oregon fires are likely arson? Could it be? Man we’re vulnerable. Forget suitcase nuclear devices, all Al Qaeda needs is a lighter.

[jon-nyc]

[Jolly]

Stay safe, my friend.

[brenda]

Rainman, I'm so glad you're getting out and have a hotel room ready. They're going to be booked up pretty soon.

So sorry to hear of your family members' situations. It's awful, just plain awful. Well, more like spectacularly awful.

I hope your home is spared, and your motorcycle. I know what you mean about the great places to ride in your area. It's just beautiful, which makes it all the worse to have it burn.

Go to the corner market called World Foods. I think it's on Everett and 10th? You'll find fabulous ice cream there. If the owner, John, is there, tell him Brenda from Minnesooooooota says hello. Yes, spoil yourself and your bride with some ice cream from there. They have yummy stuff.

Also go to their prepared food section for excellent takeout Middle Eastern dishes. You'll make me jealous of all the good things you will find there. Everything is excellent from John's store. He even has terrific wines.

Have a feast and tell us all about what you got to enjoy. If Portland is burning around the edges, you can still be cool at the hotel.

[Larry]

Wow. I hope things work out ok for you, Rainman. I experienced this once too, lost a vacation home in it. But I was never personally in any danger. Keep safe. Just remember that things can be replaced. People cant.

[Horace]

Stay safe Rainman.

[brenda]

Updates when you can, Rainman. I hope the change of wind direction helps.

[George K]

Downtown Portland, yesterday.

[Rainman]

Thanks for the kind words and support. George's picture of PDX is spot-on. Very smokey, smells like camping, fresh air and sunlight are a memory.
SIL in Estacata moved in with another of my wife's sisters, SIL and her husband from Beavercreek moved in with relatives in Vancouver. Several neighbors around us have taken in family members, extra cars and RV's throughout the neighborhood. We are fine, added towels at the base of exterior doors, we have two portable air purifiers I dug out of the garage, not sure they help much but one has charcoal filters and is new, so who knows. We are right inside level 2 boundary and given how calm it is, there is no chance the fire will overrun us. At least that's my opinion and I'm always right. The smoke is really thick, there is no wind to blow it away.
I'm sure my most depressing report will be when this is over, and we get to go see the destruction from the fire.

[George K]

@Rainman wow.

Just wow.

I trust that, despite the smoke and annoying nature of what's going on, your property is safe, right?

Thanks for the update.

[Catseye3]

" . . . added towels at the base of exterior doors . . . " GULP!

Thanks for checking in, Rainman. Thinking of you, and hoping this will all be in y'alls rearview very soon.

[Kincaid]

[mark]

Hoping for a quick resolution to all of these fires and that you and yours, all stay safe.

[Kincaid]

Thanks! The fellow I bought my pick up from a bit over a year ago is smack in the middle of the red zone and was evacuated. He left behind several trucks he couldn't move.

There are two large fire complexes that possibly could merge and if they did so in the wrong way, could trap people (I think all regular citizens are out of that area) and that is quite scary.

[brenda]

Kincaid and Rainman, thank you for the updates. It's very good to hear from both of you. The winds are supposed to be in your favor now, pushing against the fire from the west, and I hope that helps both of you. Rain by Monday? Holy cow, let's hope it comes.

Glad to know you're safe and taking care. Please continue to keep us posted. I think about you many times each day.