So last night we had a little scare. The area where my parents live, called the Dishman Hills, was evacuated due to a pretty scary fire. My parents were out of town, visiting my grandparents, and we were at the softball games at the Stake Center when we got the news. First off let me say that yesterday was one of the windiest days I have ever been in. Me and my sister-in-law tried to take our little ones to the park and ended up going to the mall to eat our lunches, because EVERYTHING was blowing away at the park, like really bad. Anyway, A fire had started on the other side of the mountain and it was when we had gotten to the Church Softball games that we were notified that the fire had crested the hill and was now coming down on our side, right where my parents live. The area was being evacuated and no one was being allowed back up to get their possessions or anything. So my sister-in-law and I booked it up to my parents house, and my brother and his fiancee were already there trying to get as many things out of the house and getting the sprinklers on the roof going. The police were roaming the streets on their loud speakers telling everyone to evacuate, but of course, there are the few who stay and we were just trying to get as many valuables out as possible, and not only that, but my dad has lots of cars worth a lot of money, so we were trying to figure out how to get those all out, because we knew once we left, we wouldn't be allowed back up. Anyway...it was pretty scary, at one point the fire was just 2 blocks away! So last night everyone camped at our house to wait, and just hope and pray that my parents home was still there the next day. We woke up to some good news. The fire is pretty much contained now, and this afternoon people were let back up into the neighborhood. 13 houses were burned in total--very sad!
I took this picture on the way up to my parents house-just billows and billows of smoke...
At my parents house (ash was like raining down)...
Nathan on the roof, getting the sprinklers going...
The church just down the street from their house was like the Fire-station 'headquarters'. I took this picture as I headed back down with my car-load of valuables...
And this is the picture driving away from the fire. Seriously, right on the other side, were beautiful blue skies, you would never have known that anything was going on...
But this isn't the first time we have had to evacuate due to a fire. In 1991 many of you might remember a little thing called 'FIRESTORM'! :) Very similar situation, we had to be evacuated, everyone running around in a frenzy getting sprinklers on their roof, having to pack our big huge van full of all our valuables. I just remember sitting in school at Horizon Jr. High, and some kids were literally finding out during school that their houses had burnt down, and my name was then called over the loud speaker to go to the office, and I just started bawling. Luckily, my parents were just coming to pick me up so we could all be together. Firestorm '91 burned 114 houses and lasted for days and days, so this wasn't quite as big, but traumatic none-the-less!
Click here for the slide show that they had on the news and for some more crazy pictures of the event:
8 comments:
I remember firestorm!!! It is one of those things you will never forget! Your parents are so lucky that you guys live close and are so on top of things. I am so glad that it turned out alright for them! Those are some crazy pictures!
I also remember Firestorm! Its nice to know things turned out for your parents. I know that is scary... last year we were evacuated twice... once while we were in Spokane!!! NOT GOOD! Although the time we were here we were evacuated to the church so all the kids had fun and, thankfully, didnt really understand why we were at the church in the middle of the night.
Terry, Phew! I'm so glad your parents' house is safe. Those are some crazy pictures. So sad about those 13 peoples' houses....No more firestorm, please!
Wow I'm so glad everything is okay!!! How sad for everyone else. Yes my mama still looks the same. Lets hope I have her genes!!!
oh my gosh Taraka! That has to be the worse feeling in the world...I am always afraid I will lose so many precious stuff if my house burned down- I am glad your parent's house is ok. I remember firestorm and I remember we were all worried about your house since we knew you lived in the dicshman and micah area- I spelled that totally wrong didn't I? Scary!
Holy Smokes! I'm glad you're parents house is safe! I remember Firestorm 91... crazy
Wow, that's scary. I'm glad your parents house is okay. They're lucky they have you guys so close.
I remember firestorm. I will never forget the black smoke over Ponderosa. My parents came to get me and we went the Red Lion Hotel. We were glued to the Tv most of the night. My brothers stayed at the house, because there were looters breaking into the empty evacuated homes. So sad that people use a disaster as a way of doing evil acts.
I am glad your parents house is okay! Those pictures are sad!
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