Posted by: Chris Kavanaugh
Report from the Fireline - 10/26/03 07:51 PM
I'm getting to old for this stuff. Yesterday the sky was mustard brown from the closest fire. In the early afternoon the feared Santa Anna winds joined earlier offshore flows. Electrical power went on and off. Then I recieved a call from the ranch to help with an advisory evacuation of the horses. My horses are opposite the Reagan Presidential Library on 600 acres of mostly undeveloped rolling hillsides and oak woodland. 20 horses,4 cattle, one pot bellied pig and 2 dogs later I was trying to halter 6 frantic pasture horses as smoke,wind,flying embers and the fright of huge firetrucks mixed with my own feeblecommands. Then we were told to evacuate NOW as the fire came within 5 ' of the barn and house. This after a hard summer of brush clearing and constant fire inspections. So, up I went bareback on my haltered mare, opened the gates and went flying out leading one more. The other 4 head followed. Think familiar ground looks the same burned with near zero visibility? I knew we made it to the stock pond when Pumpkin did a cowhorse sliding stop and I went for a bath . We weren't alone either; several deer , coyotes and a magnificient puma joined us for a long night standing waist deep. My entire car kit was recently stolen, so gear was minimal; spyderco rescue knife, surefire flashlight and a whistle grabbed heading out the door. My silk bandanna kept smoke inhalation to a minimum. When we reconnected with everybody come daylight I was actually treated for hypothermia <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Sorry for the lousy grammar. i am tired.Chris