California Wildfires: Tough Decision Whether to Evacuate

Up until 2:30 p.m. on Monday October, 22nd I wasn't effected in anyway by the Firestorm here in California. On Saturday we experienced heavy smoke and ash blown in by the Santa Anna's from the Malibu and Moorpark fires. But even though we had smoke and ash, we weren't directly effected.

That changed when fire broke out in Stevenson Ranch, just south of Six Flags Magic Mountain. The last time a major fire came through this area it began in that exact area and raged over the mountain into Simi Valley. So as I look outside to the increasing smoke and ash that is now falling in the Valley I've begun preparing to leave my home should we be asked to evacuate.

I suddenly understand why it's been hard for some people to leave their homes. I've always been of the belief that if you're asked to leave, you leave, your life is more important than material things. But being faced with having to leave, it's not that simple.

My first concern is where would my family go? My mother and sister both live in homes that are against mountains and are probably going to be the first to be evacuated. My mother in law lives in Rosamond, CA but the problem with going there is the fact that the Buckweed fire is burning near her home and there's no guarantee that the highway to her home will be open. There is another way to her home though, but the Ranch fire is currently burning in that area and the highway to her home is closed meaning it's not an option. Also I can't go up to her home because my daughter just had minor surgery and we need to stay local in case of infection or some complication.

Also how do you pack up your home and leave. We have two cats, which we didn't think twice about taking with us, but if we do have to go to the Los Angeles area and stay in a hotel, how many will accept pets? Even if we decided to go to a shelter in town, they most likely won't allow pets, so what do you do with them?

How do you pack up everything you need for the baby? She's only 16 months old. She needs her clothes, toys, and other things to help her adjust to her new surroundings. Add on to the top of that her medical disorder. We'd need to take all her medical supplies, for the surgery and her disorder. We'd need to make sure we have the correct foods which we use to manage her disorder and that she's not stressed which tends to effect her disorder as well.

Then you have to make the decision, the photos, the trinkets, anything that's worth a large amount of money, can it fit in the car?! Of course not and we shouldn't worry about that anyhow, since anything that we bought in the first place can be replaced. But those photos, those items passed down over the years, the things you're family gave you are hard to part with. But in the end it's about our family safety and the pictures, most of which as stored on my laptop, will come with us but the rest will stay.

So as I look outside at the falling ash and smoke which is becoming thicker and hear on the news that it's coming right for us, I'm forced to make a choice I thought would be easier than it is, and I find myself thinking it would be better to stay, and hope for the best, than to leave with no where to go.