I can’t remember if I ever told you about a fire near our home a few years ago? It was on the hill behind the neighbors across the street! Thankfully they put it out quickly and we didn’t even have to evacuate.

Yesterday we had another fire. Two of them. One behind us and another near by. I had to head out for an appointment, so before I left, I packed up a huge diaper bag and a few other things in case the fires got out of hand and we had to evacuate. Joe was home with Max and Sarah and was on duty for any evacuation emergencies. As I left, I couldn’t even see down the street – the smoke was so thick. I could see the flames on the hill behind our house.

I told myself not to stress. We were ready to go if we had to and last time – the flames were even closer – and we didn’t have to evacuate. The only thing I care about saving are all of us, babies, doggies — and all my photos! I really don’t care about anything else.

While I was out, I received a phone call from the police department alerting me that our neighborhood was on “mandatory evacuation”. Stress! I checked in with Joe, but he said that nothing was happening. Police and firemen were everywhere out on the street, but no one was being asked to leave.

However, when I arrived home, a police officer had the road blocked and told me the nieghborhood was on “mandatory evacuation” so I wasn’t allowed to drive to my house. I had to park my car on a near by street and then walk home. I tried asking another police officer if I could park my car a little closer, but all he offered me was that he “would look the other way and pretend he didn’t see me walk to my house” (since he wasn’t supposed to let me into the area). When I got home, Joe had to leave for his appointment and now I was on duty for any evacuation emergencies.

By 8:00pm this was still the view of the street from my house. At least the fires were out and by 9:00pm they let everyone back into our canyon. We could get to bed without any more worry for the night. Thank you to all the great police and fire department for all their hard work!

A very interesting, smokey and full of drama day.