Wildfire evacuation

[calichicken]

I was included in a Carr Fire story.

And even when discussing a horrible disaster, I sound like a total goober.

https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/na...by-fire-work-wait-amid-uncertainty/1343587928

It's closer to the bottom.

So happy for you that you get to return home! Hopefully you are reunited with all your feather and fur babies soon!!! I know you have a lot to face returning home...one day at a time!

 

[Sunshine Flock]

We're home. It's super late, well, early ... 3am. The air conditioning in the truck broke down half way here from the Bay Area, and as we got closer the smoke got worse, and it was just plain miserable with nine suffering animals inside the cab with us.

The smoke damage is really, really, really bad. The one saving grace is the foresight we had to spend our sparse funds on four air purifiers. They're definitely helping, but the entire house is in bad shape, and I'm breathing smoke right now as I'm writing this. The sun room off the deck is horrible. The smoke in there is so horrible you may as well be outside. I hung a sheet, but my eyes are burning and I'm having a hard time. We're going to barricade it even more with a blanket and also the door to the sunroom.

There's no way I can bring the flock home to this horrific smoke. It's much worse here than the horse farm in Anderson. But I'm not sure how long I can keep them there. I'll call in the morning and find out.

The bottom line for me is this: I need to re-home Henry and friends. I'm not going through another fire season here. I can't bear the stress anymore. The threat is constant, and I can't live like this anymore. I'm also re-homing two dogs and some of my cats. They're my life, but it's unfair keeping them with me when I know I may not be able to rescue them when the next fire comes, and that fire will come. It's just a matter of time.

So, if you have suggestions on how to re-home my animal friends with so many other animals now in need of re-homing in our town, please post here or send me a message. Thank you.

 

[ronott1]

We're home. It's super late, well, early ... 3am. The air conditioning in the truck broke down half way here from the Bay Area, and as we got closer the smoke got worse, and it was just plain miserable with nine suffering animals inside the cab with us.

The smoke damage is really, really, really bad. The one saving grace is the foresight we had to spend our sparse funds on four air purifiers. They're definitely helping, but the entire house is in bad shape, and I'm breathing smoke right now as I'm writing this. The sun room off the deck is horrible. The smoke in there is so horrible you may as well be outside. I hung a sheet, but my eyes are burning and I'm having a hard time. We're going to barricade it even more with a blanket and also the door to the sunroom.

There's no way I can bring the flock home to this horrific smoke. It's much worse here than the horse farm in Anderson. But I'm not sure how long I can keep them there. I'll call in the morning and find out.

The bottom line for me is this: I need to re-home Henry and friends. I'm not going through another fire season here. I can't bear the stress anymore. The threat is constant, and I can't live like this anymore. I'm also re-homing two dogs and some of my cats. They're my life, but it's unfair keeping them with me when I know I may not be able to rescue them when the next fire comes, and that fire will come. It's just a matter of time.

So, if you have suggestions on how to re-home my animal friends with so many other animals now in need of re-homing in our town, please post here or send me a message. Thank you.

I hope you find a good home for the flock!

Where will you move to?

 

[arrowti]

I'm so sorry! I have a suggestion. If you plan on moving, perhaps find someone who can provide temporary housing for your animals. Once you move, if you are able to build/bring coops and make enclosures there, you could bring them back. It might be easier to find a temporary home than a permanent home, especially considering that the wildfire season is now EVERY season, which is awful.

Hopefully you can find a solution that works best!

 

[Peppercorngal]

We're home. It's super late, well, early ... 3am. The air conditioning in the truck broke down half way here from the Bay Area, and as we got closer the smoke got worse, and it was just plain miserable with nine suffering animals inside the cab with us.

The smoke damage is really, really, really bad. The one saving grace is the foresight we had to spend our sparse funds on four air purifiers. They're definitely helping, but the entire house is in bad shape, and I'm breathing smoke right now as I'm writing this. The sun room off the deck is horrible. The smoke in there is so horrible you may as well be outside. I hung a sheet, but my eyes are burning and I'm having a hard time. We're going to barricade it even more with a blanket and also the door to the sunroom.

There's no way I can bring the flock home to this horrific smoke. It's much worse here than the horse farm in Anderson. But I'm not sure how long I can keep them there. I'll call in the morning and find out.

The bottom line for me is this: I need to re-home Henry and friends. I'm not going through another fire season here. I can't bear the stress anymore. The threat is constant, and I can't live like this anymore. I'm also re-homing two dogs and some of my cats. They're my life, but it's unfair keeping them with me when I know I may not be able to rescue them when the next fire comes, and that fire will come. It's just a matter of time.

So, if you have suggestions on how to re-home my animal friends with so many other animals now in need of re-homing in our town, please post here or send me a message. Thank you.

Well Carla, I'm glad that you are home again. Obviously this fire and your evacuation has brought feelings and thoughts to the surface that you had been having in the past? Please wait awhile before moving and giving away your friends. Last year when we were evacuated it changed my cousin (who lives just up the road from us) and he left too. He said that it was not IF his house burned, but WHEN. Fire can occur anywhere, the Santa Rosa fires proved that, so you may not be totally "safe" anywhere. My neighbor said in the 30 years in these hills, fire has only been a real threat 3 times! Let some time pass before you do anything life changing. Once the smoke is cleared and your Henry is home you may relax and find happiness there again. I hope so! Hugs!

 

[micstrachan]

I’m so sorry about all the damage, heartache and frustration.

You did great in the interview. I agree it might be best to wait before doing something drastic.

By the way, I missed that you had been staying in Livermore. We got married there 20 years ago!

 

[room onthebroom]

This has been a terrible experience & its going to take some time to adjust. Please don't make any decisions right now regarding rehoming. I'm sure the people who have Henry will be happy to keep your flock until the air clears.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

This discussion is good therapy.

So, I got to visit Henry and the gang today. On the way there I managed to turn a corner too fast and dumped a 50 pound bag of chick feed inside the truck, the small granular stuff. My husband started laughing, and I yelled, "Oh, noooooooo!!!!!!" as it spilled out.

Then when we got to his work and he opened the door, it all spilled out on the parking lot and made a huge cinder cone. Luckily I had a big bowl of greens for the flock and was able to use it scoop up a bunch of the feed. I saw a woman watching me in disbelief as she chatted on her cell phone, probably narrating the whole stupid thing.

When I arrived at Henry's country horse farm accommodations, I was a sorry, dusty mess, and my huge farmer's hat and hand print on my left boob didn't help.

He's doing great, and the chicks are super sized and super sweet. The woman's little girls were fearless and climbed into the small coop with one Henry and three Henry juniors and the hens. Yes, I'm quite worried about microbes and Marecks and all that fun stuff. But such is life as a chicken, especially an evacuee chicken.

On the way home, right there where I had to turn to get back on the freeway, was the Anderson outlets where my cats have been hanging out this past week. I stopped by to say hello, thank everyone and play with them for a bit. I'm waiting to see what happens with the smoke and will bring them home this week. The people there are so friendly and in love with their work. It's the most amazing critter command center I've ever seen.

But I did have one burble of news: Turtle bit his rescuer and is under mandatory quarantine for ten days. I immediately repeated her words and couldn't stop laughing. There's just something kind of funny about sweet Turtle being quarantined. She said the rescuer wasn't hurt and she even giggled herself, which made me feel better. When I told my husband he laughed, too. We don't know why it's funny, though!

Some spot fires started up nearby, but other than that we're figuring things out. We can't relocate to a hotel. The nearest one is in Chico, a good long distance from here. So we're doing our best to treat the kitchen and family room as a safe room and are washing walls and sealing it off. I also rinsed off the entire outside of the house and washed away a dusty layer of ash and soot.

Henry is coming home on Monday. She also welcomed eight horses and twelve goats. I know she'd like the chickens to go home soon. They're better off here in their large yard, but Henry likes horses, so I know he's going to miss his country rescue spa.

That's all for now. I'm wondering how the other BYC evacuees are doing. @orrpeople are you home yet? Is your house okay?

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I hope you find a good home for the flock!

Where will you move to?

I have few financial resources, but the goal is to purchase some land and build a one-room cabin. Earth bag interests me, but it all depends on the land and what it has to offer. As for location, Idaho for its minimal building codes. Lots of wildfire there, so I'll have to carefully source the land. My income bracket means fewer options.

Rural Ohio would be amazing since I'm from Columbus and would love to move back. But that would require more funds. Not really an option. North of Seattle, but again the cost is prohibitive.

 

[ronott1]

I have few financial resources, but the goal is to purchase some land and build a one-room cabin. Earth bag interests me, but it all depends on the land and what it has to offer. As for location, Idaho for its minimal building codes. Lots of wildfire there, so I'll have to carefully source the land. My income bracket means fewer options.

Rural Ohio would be amazing since I'm from Columbus and would love to move back. But that would require more funds. Not really an option. North of Seattle, but again the cost is prohibitive.

I like your ideas!

I hope you find a nice place.