Califerno!

spotty4 · 06-24-2008, 01:50 PM

Who would have thought that Fiance and I would have to make wedding contingency plans owing to FIRE!?

Los Padres National Forest - Current Conditions

This past Saturday an unusual thunderstorm formed and its lightning strikes caused many wild fires across California. On a clear day, I can look up and see 3 major smoke plumes. One such fire that started Saturday, called the Basin Complex Fire, is located right b/t the 2 state parks we're using for our wedding ceremony and bbq reception. They're both close enough to the fire that they're both closed (to keep people out). Thankfully neither park is affected (read: on fire) ... yet.

The wedding is 101 days away (who's counting!?) so hopefully the fire can be contained in a reasonable amount of time and space. Its currently at 3% containment and has burned ~7,000 acres.

BAC · 06-24-2008, 04:25 PM

owch!! Well I hope everything gets cleared up in time.. do you have back up plans just in case?

AnnaRose · 06-24-2008, 05:55 PM

Thats weird because I saw there were fires out there on tv and, I don't know why, but I wondered if anybody ever gets married there. Then I continued to wonder if anyone's wedding day was affected by the fires...so weird.

Anyways, I hope this has no negative affect on your wedding day (i'm sure it won't).

Mrs.Alchemist · 06-26-2008, 09:49 AM

Yeah, our fire department has sent several rigs out on strike teams all the way up there! Our strike team cooridinator sent out yet another strike team yesterday as well. Our guys are out in Chico, in the Butte County area, which is 500 miles away from Santa Ana.

So, all over the state, we're doing our best to help you have the Wedding you've been planning!!!

skibum515 · 06-26-2008, 12:10 PM

Oh no!! Are you trying to put together some contingency plan? Hopefully it gets contained quickly!!

spotty4 · 06-26-2008, 12:17 PM

UPDATE: now the fire is at 23,000 acres burned and at 3% containment. Each park is 3 miles away from different flanks of the fire. For the past few days the prevailing winds have been from the NW making the fire spread SE. However, beginning later today and for the weekend, the winds will shift from the S. Hopefully this will turn the fire back on itself and maybe even burn itself out (going back over fuels it already consumed).

We had made no back up plan. The only thing we'd thought of that could hamper our plans was rain and it NEVER (read: rarely) rains in Big Sur in October. So now we have no idea what to do for back up. I think we'll give this situation a few more weeks and see how its shaking out, and then more seriously pursue a back up.

Sarah ... thanks for sending your boys (and gals) up this way!!!

Mrs.Alchemist · 07-03-2008, 04:26 PM

I can't believe it... Our guys are still up there! It's been 9 days, and the ash has made its way down to SoCal...

spotty4 · 07-03-2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs.Alchemist

I can't believe it... Our guys are still up there! It's been 9 days, and the ash has made its way down to SoCal...

I totally believe it, Sarah. We were at dinner at a restaurant in Salinas last night and there was an engine in the parking lot that said L.A. County. There are fire crews here from all over.

We've had ash piling up on our cars for the past few days now too. The winds have shifted the smoke and ash away for now. You may be getting ash from the new Santa Barbara (Gap) fire.

This Big Sur fire is HUGE now. Its 64,000+ acres (~100 sq miles). The entire town of Big Sur has been vacated. And a 42 mile stretch of hwy 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) has been SHUT DOWN. And of course, all interests and businesses along the road are closed. Fiance and I are relieved we hadn't planned a summer wedding down there.

The smoke plume is amazing and formidable at the same time. Its moving ever northward and that is scary. I would hope they contain the northern flank before it moves into the Monterey area ....

If you wish to see some *amazing* photos accounting this fire, I highly recommend wind_dancer's album on flickr. Her photos are awesome and her words reverent.
Big Sur Fire, 2008: Beauty & the Beast - a set on Flickr

spotty4 · 07-29-2008, 12:59 PM

YAYYAYYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAY!!!

As of yesterday the fire is 100% contained!!! A total of 163,000 acres have burned. Said another way, that's 255 square miles. That's 1/5 the size of Rhode Island!! That's 3.75 Washington D.C.'s!! Holy crap!

And the good news for us is that the state parks along the Big Sur coast are opening up again! The 2 parks we're using for our wedding are open for business as of today! OMG ... sooooooooo happy (and relieved)!!

Imachickadee75 · 07-29-2008, 01:17 PM

PHEW! Who would have ever thought forest fires would be part of your wedding stress!!!!

Jackie

06-24-2008, 01:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
spotty4 Jetgirls Ol' School Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Central Coast California Posts: 1,171 Recipes: Thanks: 8 Thanked 14 Times in 14 Posts	Califerno! Who would have thought that Fiance and I would have to make wedding contingency plans owing to FIRE!? Los Padres National Forest - Current Conditions This past Saturday an unusual thunderstorm formed and its lightning strikes caused many wild fires across California. On a clear day, I can look up and see 3 major smoke plumes. One such fire that started Saturday, called the Basin Complex Fire, is located right b/t the 2 state parks we're using for our wedding ceremony and bbq reception. They're both close enough to the fire that they're both closed (to keep people out). Thankfully neither park is affected (read: on fire) ... yet. The wedding is 101 days away (who's counting!?) so hopefully the fire can be contained in a reasonable amount of time and space. Its currently at 3% containment and has burned ~7,000 acres. __________________ http://shelleypotts.com Wedding Pictures!

06-24-2008, 04:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
BAC Jetgirls Plus Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 926 Recipes: Thanks: 12 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Califerno! owch!! Well I hope everything gets cleared up in time.. do you have back up plans just in case? __________________ Becky Check out my current and past books @

06-24-2008, 05:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
AnnaRose Jetgirls Plus Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 312 Recipes: Thanks: 6 Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Califerno! Thats weird because I saw there were fires out there on tv and, I don't know why, but I wondered if anybody ever gets married there. Then I continued to wonder if anyone's wedding day was affected by the fires...so weird. Anyways, I hope this has no negative affect on your wedding day (i'm sure it won't). __________________ "A person travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it..."

06-26-2008, 09:49 AM	#4 (permalink)
Mrs.Alchemist Jetgirls Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Anaheim Posts: 450 Recipes: Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Califerno! Yeah, our fire department has sent several rigs out on strike teams all the way up there! Our strike team cooridinator sent out yet another strike team yesterday as well. Our guys are out in Chico, in the Butte County area, which is 500 miles away from Santa Ana. So, all over the state, we're doing our best to help you have the Wedding you've been planning!!! __________________ Mrs. Alchemist AKA Sarah http://www.myspace.com/sarah_and_lola

06-26-2008, 12:10 PM	#5 (permalink)
skibum515 Jetgirls Ol' School Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Park City Posts: 1,262 Recipes: Thanks: 2 Thanked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Califerno! Oh no!! Are you trying to put together some contingency plan? Hopefully it gets contained quickly!! __________________

06-26-2008, 12:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
spotty4 Jetgirls Ol' School Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Central Coast California Posts: 1,171 Recipes: Thanks: 8 Thanked 14 Times in 14 Posts	Re: Califerno! UPDATE: now the fire is at 23,000 acres burned and at 3% containment. Each park is 3 miles away from different flanks of the fire. For the past few days the prevailing winds have been from the NW making the fire spread SE. However, beginning later today and for the weekend, the winds will shift from the S. Hopefully this will turn the fire back on itself and maybe even burn itself out (going back over fuels it already consumed). We had made no back up plan. The only thing we'd thought of that could hamper our plans was rain and it NEVER (read: rarely) rains in Big Sur in October. So now we have no idea what to do for back up. I think we'll give this situation a few more weeks and see how its shaking out, and then more seriously pursue a back up. Sarah ... thanks for sending your boys (and gals) up this way!!! __________________ http://shelleypotts.com Wedding Pictures! Last edited by spotty4; 06-26-2008 at 01:24 PM.

07-03-2008, 04:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
Mrs.Alchemist Jetgirls Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Anaheim Posts: 450 Recipes: Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Califerno! I can't believe it... Our guys are still up there! It's been 9 days, and the ash has made its way down to SoCal... __________________ Mrs. Alchemist AKA Sarah http://www.myspace.com/sarah_and_lola

07-29-2008, 12:59 PM	#9 (permalink)
spotty4 Jetgirls Ol' School Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Central Coast California Posts: 1,171 Recipes: Thanks: 8 Thanked 14 Times in 14 Posts	Re: Califerno! YAYYAYYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAY!!! As of yesterday the fire is 100% contained!!! A total of 163,000 acres have burned. Said another way, that's 255 square miles. That's 1/5 the size of Rhode Island!! That's 3.75 Washington D.C.'s!! Holy crap! And the good news for us is that the state parks along the Big Sur coast are opening up again! The 2 parks we're using for our wedding are open for business as of today! OMG ... sooooooooo happy (and relieved)!! __________________ http://shelleypotts.com Wedding Pictures! Last edited by spotty4; 07-29-2008 at 01:23 PM.

07-29-2008, 01:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
Imachickadee75 Jetgirls Ol' School Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: oklahoma Posts: 648 Recipes: Thanks: 1 Thanked 14 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Califerno! PHEW! Who would have ever thought forest fires would be part of your wedding stress!!!! Jackie __________________ Welcoming baby #3 this spring!

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