During the life-threatening fires that ravaged northern California this month, Lydia and Robert Feltman were close to the fire scene and shared this report:
The fire started around 11:30PM about three fields away directly south of us.
I was taking a nap in my clothes and feeling very peaceful when Lydia woke me up to look out the window. A wall of flames under a high voltage tower looked so close that at first I thought it was on the border line of my south field burning my blackberries and Valley Oaks. I went outside and the wind nearly carried me away like Dorothy in Oz. Trash cans and yard furniture were flying past, large tree limbs were falling all around me.
Lydia yelling above the howling wind for me to get inside. I went in but went outside again. It was my wind and it felt nice. The fire ran west with the wind and quickly engulfed a farmhouse and large redwood hay barn three houses down the road. We called 911 and they said they were on their way, but they didn’t get very far with all the fallen trees blocking the roads. Nobody can fight a firestorm anyway.
The flames raced across North Busch Rd and went over the hill towards Redwood Valley where I heard later about 300 houses were destroyed, including one belonging to a friend from Lydia’s garden club. I went into our latihan cabin and did some testing. It felt so nice I was wondering if I was in some kind of shock state. Anyway, testing was clear and said that leaving was not necessary. It was safe to stay home.
That night we watched the fire circle around us in a big arc. It finally got into the hills directly north and stayed there for days. All day bright yellow helicopters with big straws sticking out their bottoms, like a backwards proboscis, would fly up to my neighbors 19 acre foot pond, about 200 yards from me, and suck up water and carry it to the fire until finally the pond ran dry and then they went elsewhere to get water.
With Internet down, the cell tower down, land lines down, and electricity down. there was no communications except for my ham radio. On the two meter band I kept in touch with fellow hams and listened to rescues and updates. There seemed no other need, however, Erica came here twice to apprise us that all the scare news said we should evacuate immediately, and the family was freaking out about my staying. Consequently, I agreed to stay nights with Erica at her home in Ukiah. We came back in the day to see how things were. We could see smoke and some flames to the North mountains.
Thursday when we tried to go home we were turned back at the Potter Valley entrance, because there was a mandatory evacuation. So we stayed with Erica another 2 nights, but this morning the Sheriff road block was taken down and we got through. The only challenge was at the corner of Busch and North Busch, the last street to our house. The California National Guard was blocking the way. A fresh faced kid wearing brand new camo fatigues and sporting an AR15 came up to the car and asked me if I was a Todd, Lydia said yes, and I guess he saw the “Veteran” pin on my beater ball cap because he jumped to attention, smiled broadly, and said we could pass.
I talked to Cal. Fire people that were milling around on my roads. It seems that the start of the fire is called a “crime scene” and the investigation has caused delays in restoring our services.
I saw a huge tent city in Ukiah to accommodate all the thousands of displaced people. There are so many wildfires that there really is no safe place for people to go at this time. Santa Rosa already looks half burned down, and now new evacuations are under way, worse than the forest fires around here and much more damaging to human life and property.
It seems like all the birds in the world have come to my home for sanctuary.
The presence of the latihan is so gentle and subtle.
Best wishes,
Brother, Robert