Yesterday was quite a day for us. I received a call about noon from a neighbor who was waiting at Camp Silverado to be escorted up to our neighborhood. Up to this time we were not allowed to go up to the Canyon as our little cluster of homes was smack in the middle of the hot zone. I rushed right up to Camp Silverado and put my name on the escort list. I went up in a fire vehicle with three other residents who I had never met that lived in various parts of Silverado all below us and I'm sure we were each dealing with our own individual emotions as we traveled. I was the last one up and it really was strange, definately "twilight zone like".
Upon entering our front door first thing I noticed was that all our window coverings had been removed, obviously by the fire fighters and ever single light was on both inside and outside. The fire had definately been close, not too far up the hill directly behind our home. Our garden hoses were all laid out, the gates were open, the patio furnishings had been moved - I could see that they worked very hard to protect our home.
Once I got over that initial sigh and walked around the house a bit it was strange to see our dinner from Monday, October 21st that we were just getting ready to sit down and eat and had put into refrigerator. Our dinner prep dishes were still just there where we had been using them. Kayli's had some roses from her boyfriend that are wilted in the vase, the laundry was still in the hall waiting to be done... It was just wierd. I kind of felt like I had come back to a home I had once lived in, in a town that was now deserted...
I am so thankful though to Antonio, my escort driver for giving me those few minutes to see first hand that our home was there. Although it is covered in dried up gel fire retardant it won't be long at all until it will feel like home again.
We are praying that the Santa Ana winds will stay calm over the weekend and that we might be able to go home in the next few days.
This morning the OC Register has a very moving audio slide show about the fire. You can find it by going to www.ocregister.com. Then click on "Heat, Humanity, Heartbreak" Audio Slideshow.
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Deanna,
Your feelings were exactly like mine. I was allowed back in for the first time on Sunday. It was eerie and strangely quiet in the canyon. I live on Hazel Bell near the volunteer fire station and the fire never reached that far down. So to me, the canyon looked like before.
I returned again today and the difference today was that the santa ana's were picking up. I was feeling very uncomfortable. Let's all hope that the winds don't pick up a stray ember.
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