Joan Wilson<br/>
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We evacuated a little after 130A when it became mandatory to leave. We
were ready to go about 8p, but chose to stay till it was mandatory. (30
years of living here makes you immune to over reacting)<br/>
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Our cat was loaded into her carrier and our 50# dog hesitantly got in my
car. (the siren was going off and the smoke was so thick it was
difficult to breathe) My husband drove his truck and  I followed.<br/>
<br/>
I was never so scared as when we were driving out of the canyon. Fire
was everywhere! I had to maintain because of the animals and I was
driving! My cat was howling and I had to speak in a calm voice to calm
her. The power poles were on fire and fire was dancing across the wires.
Big oak trees were ablaze. There were embers flying through the
air,branches flying in front of my windshield because the wind was so
strong and smoke so thick you could hardly see in places. We know our
road like the back of our hand but that night we didn't know where we
were at times. There were little fires burning everywhere. It was what I
would imagine a war zone looks like.<br/>
<br/>
We made it to our boat and settled in by 330a. So keyed up though that
it was hard to sleep.<br/>
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The next day we were without TV or radio, just the cell phone. The only
reports we got were what was being called to us by friends and daughter.
Tuesday was the darkest day. In the afternoon my daughter called for the
? time and I could tell she was sobbing and said, Mom are you sitting
down? I knew it was bad, I sat. She said, Mom I just heard on TV that
they are pulling out of Modjeska Canyon (our canyon), that there is a
fire storm. They have foamed all the houses, but have to get the men out
because it's too dangerous and they can't do anymore. The last thing the
reporter said was, "I could hear propane tanks exploding as we left."
We knew at that point that our house was gone. Our home of 30
years--gone. All of Chris's hard work to make our house so beautiful.
Chris was trying to maintain- I know for me, but he was devastated and I
lost it. It was the first time I cried.</br>
<br/>
A couple of hours later they started to report that some homes had been
destroyed on our Grade road (road at the mouth of our canyon), but only
about 10 homes. So we regained composure and hope. Then in the days
following, the exact addresses. That's when we learned that our house
was still there! Thank God!
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