Charlotte Fire

Yesterday afternoon around 4PM I received a text from my brother that said;

FYI Wildfire up Mink Creek there's a 
very real possibility mom's house is gone.
She's gone to town.

Now, my family isn't anything if they aren't dramatic so I sort of thought maybe we were working on over exaggerations here (see 'Someone Else's Blood'). I should have known that if my brother was the one texting it would be serious.


It was very serious.... it IS very serious. Apparently (from what I've been able to gather) the fire started around 2PM, from fireworks, in one hour it had spread 250 acres--that would be because Southern Idaho is the most dry, juniper filled, sage brush over-run... I digress. The fire went directly over the area I grew up in. DIRECTLY (this image is past my mom's house)

Imagine getting a call saying that the neighborhood you live in was on fire and the next door neighbors house had already burnt down and you pretty much have what happened to me.

The little I could gather online showed images of areas I knew better than anyplace in the world. Listed street names of places my friends lived. It was surreal. The distance between me and the fire is hundreds of miles yet I couldn't help but try and list all the things I may have at my moms house or worry about my friends families.

Last night at around 11PM my brother texted me again;

It looks like mom's house is okay. However 
everyone below her looks to be gone.

This is pretty much all I know. 20 houses are gone.... at least 5 of them are families I know personally and whose houses were close enough to others that the assumption can be made they are all gone. No one can get in so no one knows for sure and the only reason I think we might know is because my step-brother works for the county and has been watching out for our house (You rock my world Aaron!)

So, if you know my family personally that's all the information I have for you. You can email me if you want and I can give you numbers of family members to contact for more.

If you are my blogging family I thank you in advance for your love. I'm pretty sure this is the worst year of my life and the magnitude of bad things happening truly makes me laugh with sadistic irony.

I am, therefor, emotionally okay but perhaps slightly mentally unhinged. ;)

Comments

Amy said…
Wow....just wow. Holy emotional roller coaster batman. So sad for you guys, your family, and neighbors. (hugs)
Meaghan said…
Holy cow!! That's so sad :( 2013 is gonna be the best year of your life!!!
Tracie said…
I have family up there too, it is scary to watch. Hope yours are still doing well and that 2013 will be better than this year!
Rob-bear said…
I am so sorry to hear all of this. Having been a fighter of fires in my "younger days," I have some sense of what is happening. But family and friends losing homes is just terrible! I hope everyone is safe.

Blessings and Bear hugs!

P.S. I was feeling poorly at one time. My friends said to me, "Cheer up; things could be worse." I cheered up. Things got worse.

BBh!!!!!

Popular posts from this blog

How-To Pretend You Work For Anthropologie

Altered Shoe Art: Ring Holder Shoe Tutorial

Mutterings of a Middle-Aged Dreamer