# Chris Walas...are you guys OK?



## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris....heard you got evacuated...and tonight I checked the fire map...and your house is like 400' from the edge of the fire on Foothill. Are you guys OK????


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I was afraid of this when I heard the news this morning about Mission Canyon! All the best to Chris and the family.


----------



## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Mike Reilley on 05/06/2009 6:37 PM
Chris....heard you got evacuated...and tonight I checked the fire map...and your house is like 400' from the edge of the fire on Foothill. Are you guys OK????

My gosh ! That's _WAY_ too close for comfort ! _Good luck CW_. You will definitely need it.


----------



## Bob Starr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jackie and I are very worried about you and yours Chris. Please let us know! You have all of our support. 
Bob & Jackie


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Add in my concerns also, been watching the news coverage, this is a another real bad one and so early in the year!


----------



## Bob Baxter (Jan 3, 2008)

I just read that firefighters are standing by at the Mission. Chris lives just a few hundred yards North of the Mission. We were evacuated a year and a half ago so I know the anxieties they are experiencing. We hope the fire is stopped before it gets to them.


----------



## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

The evacuation area has been expanded: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108510746465180044244.00046932582acf7389e31&ll=34.458022,-119.719563&spn=0.066525,0.080681&t=p&z=13&source=embed


----------



## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

You and your family are in my prayers Chris!!


----------



## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

Just got email access. We're in Ventura now, 1/2 hr. South of home. We didn't actually get evacuated till this afternoon. Almost last night (scary night), but the winds died down eventually and we got to stay home. No such luck now. When I left the house, it was a nightmare. Never been in anything like it. The smoke and ash was blowing straight down Mission Canyon at high speed and I couldn't even see the next corner of the street. I knew we were in trouble when I took Dana the Great to school this morning past a good 20-30 fire engines at the Mission. It took me 45 min. to get back into the house. Seems we did this last year on Gill and my anniversary (Tea Fire). Deja Vu all over again. This one started a lot closer to home. 
We're fine now, but the house is directly in the most likely path of the fire. We're keeping our fingers crossed, but there's a lot worse things to lose than your house. Thanks to all, please keep a good thought for Santa Barbara. 
Chris


----------



## Jim Francis (Dec 29, 2007)

* Chris,

You and your family are in our prayers.

Hang in there, we hope for the best.


Jim and Becky 
*


----------



## DougArcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Our prayers to you and all the effected people in SB


----------



## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Chris my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Stay safe. The Regal


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris,

Our prayers are with you and your family.


----------



## John Corradini (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.


----------



## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Did you get the photo albums?


----------



## jlcop (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris; 
Thanks for the quick response. It is a relief to us all to know your family is OK. You are right, there are a lot worse things to lose then your house. Be safe, you are in everyone's prayers. 
John


----------



## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris,

Our prayers are with you, your family and Santa Barbara. Also may the creatures and inhabitants of Rogue County find safe haven. 
Tommy, Jacque and Grace
Rio Gracie


----------



## Don Gage (Jan 4, 2008)

Chris, Gill and Dana, 
I sure wish you all the best with this disaster. Let me know if you need anything, and I'll be there. 
I'm jut a couple hours south remember, with a truck and tools, 
Don


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Found a very good map that helps give an idea how many are effected by this fire 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=113350399174193214844.00046932e9dd96f2e87cd&ll=34.441885,-119.690895&spn=0.115945,0.22316&t=h&z=13 

My wife and I love SB and would still move there in a heartbeat if we could.


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris... You're in our prayers.


I didn't get home til way late last night and didn't check MLS until now. Glad you're in a safe zone. We'll pray that the winds shift back over the fire and burn itself out. 

Thanks for the map, Victor. Shows exactly where Chris' home is....


----------



## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris and family,
You and your home are certainly in our prayers.
Jim Carter


----------



## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris...you & yours are in our prayers. It's a relief to know that your safe. I hope everything faired well overnight.


----------



## Dave Crocker (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris,
We have 2 extra bedrooms you can use in a pinch.
I know we are a little far away but let's hope you don't have to make that kind of decision.


----------



## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Thinking of you Chris, prayers and good thoughts to you and yours.
Rod and Jill


----------



## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

"Did you get the photo albums?" 

Never mind that, save the Oscar!! 

Chris has at least a couple of truckloads of stuff that should be in a museum, although I can't imagine any museum that would have any idea of how to display it.


----------



## sbaxters4 (Jan 2, 2008)

I second that... I'm sure that there is more stuff in Chris's house that has historical, educational, or other significance not to mention monitary value. I am hoping that none is lost and the valiant firefighter are able to stop the fire.... " src="http://www.mylargescale.com/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/smile.gif" align="absMiddle" border="0" /> Stay safe Chris! 
Not knowing exactly where Chris's house is makes it harder to tell how close it really is but there are certainly lots of apparently residential areas covered by the fire area... /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/sad.gif


----------



## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Chris,

Glad you and the family are out of there safely. And I'm hoping your property along with the rest of the Santa Barbara area is spared. Conditions are terrible right now and we need to pray for cooler weather with no wind.

There is nothing worse then the feeling of not knowing what's going on during a fire and I know exactly what you're going through. I’ve been evacuated twice in my lifetime. June 2002 from our house in Vallecito, Colorado during the Missionary Ridge fire that devastated the national forest behind us, but thankfully the damage on our property was mostly charred ground and a few loss of old pine trees but fire fighters saved the house. 

And then this last November we had to evacuate from our house in Anaheim, California during the Freeway Complex fire. We were at the extreme evacuation end and thankfully the fire never got to our area. We got to come back home on my birthday. One of the nicest birthday presents I've ever had.

I'm praying for everyone affected by this fire, and that the weather cooperates quickly.


----------



## sheepdog (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh boy... I really hope your place was spared. Can't imagine the loss of your property ...personal items and even the junk parts collection.

Craig


----------



## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Just to add some clarity regarding where the fire is in relation to Chris's house. Chris's house is literally in the canyon that the fire is burning down...towards the bottom of the canyon where it more or less flattens out...that's the bad news. The good news is that while the fire is burning down that canyon, it's about 2500' feet up from where Chris's home is....a half mile. There's a housing in the 2500' so I imagine there are hundreds of fire crews doing structure protection. North of where those homes are, Mission Canyon is a deep gorge....maybe 100' deep and that area is filled with brush, maybe 50' tall, and that's where the fire is burning big time.

Firefighters cannot go into canyons like that to fight...so they're left with bombing the canyon with lots of borate to slow the fire...and bombing the ridges on each side of the canyons to keep the fire IN the canyon till it burns all the brush out. If there's decent roads, they'll take trucks up on those ridges and cut wider fire breaks. Now...six firemen have been life flighted to Los Angeles after getting caught by a flash over. The winds have been terrible and they'll carry burning embers a long way and folks can get trapped. That's why the evacuation has been pretty good sized.


Also of note, is that about 500' south of Chris's house is the Santa Barbara Mission...one of the original missions put here by the Catholic church like 300 years ago. If I was a guessing man, I'd believe that the firemen will move heaven and **** to keep that area Chris lives in from burning.


----------



## Duncan (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh, dear... 
Chris, Gill, Dana - thoughts and prayers for you. 
And your neighbors. 
But (and this is a little selfish) most of all for the folks fighting the beast...


----------



## Bob Starr (Jan 2, 2008)

If I was a guessing man, I'd believe that the firemen will move heaven and **** to keep that area Chris lives in from burning. 

I agree and they have said so on the news. I sure hope everything is OK with him and family. Chris was one of the first to bring things to help Jackie and I when we were burned out in 2003.
Bob


----------



## SandyR (Jan 6, 2008)

Chris, I'm praying for your safety, and that your property and house will be spared. 
SandyR


----------



## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris, 
You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. We're all pullin' for you!! We'll be checking back to get updates. Good luck!!!


----------



## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry not to be in better touch here; internet access is intermittent and we're trying to keep track of our neighbors and friends. This is truly a wild fire. Tonight the fire is headed in a completely new direction and moving very very fast again. The mandatory evacuations have been extended and many friends that have evacuated to friends are now evacuating again. Really a scary one. The good news is that our neighbor got back to check his house and saw that our house was fine. The scary news is that the nearest fire was 1500 ft away. 
Their telling people now not to wait till the evac notices are made... if you feel threatened, get out. 
Chris 
PS. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, this is a bad one.


----------



## Bob Starr (Jan 2, 2008)

I am happy for you and know the anguish you and your friends are going through! In our neck of the woods there are a bunch of us that stay during the evacs. We have formed our own fire team and have two water pumping trucks and fire hoses. We even do our share of practice sessions. Again, I am glad you and your family and belongings made it through this one. Holler at me if you need any help.
Bob


----------



## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Yow, that's really scary. I hope and pray your home will be safe.


----------



## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

My thoughts and best wishes are with you Chris, hang in there buddy, 

David.


----------



## Engineercub (Oct 18, 2008)

Well good luck Chris. You have slot of support here. Let that be your strength. 

-Will


----------



## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

My prayers, thoughts, and best wishes are also with you and your family and friends, Chris!


----------



## Ltotis (Jan 3, 2008)

Chris, 
I hope your house but mainly you, your family and friends make it through this safe and unharmed. 
LAO


----------



## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

The news this morning isn't too good. Last night was horrendous. They don't know how many structures have been lost yet, but they look like the majority are in the hills above our level. The flames are headed back toward our house now, but the high winds are hopefully going to die down a little this morning, which will help the firefighters a bit. It looks like the majority of the city has been evacuated and the emergency control center by the Mission had to move West to the next town, Goleta. The firefighters are doing a fantastic job and there are more fire crews on the way, but the high/variable winds have turned this thing into a real monster. Our house is apparently still safe, at lest according to what news we can get. 
Fingers crossed. 
Chris


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Sheeesh, what a terrible thing, you guys have it bad, hope it works out. Been rough out there for awhile.


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Chris, (when you can get to a conection) 

Thank you for the update - and I hope and pray that the news stays good for you.

I have been watching the fires progress og the Google Maps - it looks to be moving North West according to them. 

I hope that it changes direction away from your house area soon.

Of course the 'devil is in the detai'l and the fickle wind! 

Thanks for the link to the maps.

Hopefully it will be working its way out at the same time. 

Thinking of you and your family, in your troubles and the very best of luck at this dangerous time. 


I would willingly export to you the rain & hail we are having at the moment, to put it out, but alas, I can't find a large enough container to put it all in!


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Thoughts and prayers from Colorado, too. I cover those beastly things out here all too often, but can only imagine the heartwrenching uncertainty of those dealing with it personally. 

Later, 

K


----------



## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's a different perspective: It's the real time Dopplear weather radar image of that area. Particles (rain, snow, or in this case smoke) shows as colors. If you make a zoom box on the image, you can get in real close. I'm guessing that the actual fire is that green stuff. The image updates every 5 minutes or thereabouts. 

http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=VTX&type=N0R


----------



## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

That radar is in Ojai. The fire is about 60 miles north. The following URL is the firemap and is updated frequently. 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=113350399174193214844.00046932e9dd96f2e87cd&ll=34.441885,-119.690895&spn=0.115945,0.22316&t=h&z=13

If you use Google Earth, you can click on the link just above the map to have the kml file loaded into your Google Earth...and see the 3D terrain.


----------



## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

We're hoping the winds and temperatures will be lower tonight, which will help the firefighters considerably. Just our luck, though, we evacuated to Ventura and we had an earthquake here an hour or two ago! 
Chris


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By cjwalas on 05/08/2009 5:05 PM
We're hoping the winds and temperatures will be lower tonight, which will help the firefighters considerably. Just our luck, though, we evacuated to Ventura and *we had an earthquake here an hour or two ago*! 
Chris

For you Easterners, thats what we Californians call "Shake and Bake" when we get the hot dry unseasonable offshore winds and coincidentally have a EQ occur, many of us beleive these weather conditions are literally "Earthquake Weather"...seriously!

Hopefully Chris you might be back home this weekend, makes me sick looking at all the damage though but its really tought to design homes against those kinds of firestorms.


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

...Just our luck, though, we evacuated to Ventura and we had an earthquake here an hour or two ago!...]

Well, someone said the firefighters would move Heaven and **** to protect those houses. Maybe they've decided to move Southern California, too? (or, which of the two does that make SoCal?)  

Later, 

K


----------



## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

Just got our morning news conference on the fire. Things are looking considerably better on the fireline and the authorities are confident that they've turned the corner on this one, although the danger level is still high. The main strength of the near ten mile long fire is at the West and East ends and moving inland, away from the city. Whew! The focus today will be on knocking down the ends of the fire with the DC-10 and 13 smaller fixed wing aircraft as well as attacking the hotspot fires on the the South (city) side with the 15 helicopters. 499 fire engines and over 4,000 firefighters as well. There's a chance they may start letting some people back in their homes by the end of the day. There are over 30,000 people evacuated, so it'll take a couple of days at least to repopulate in an orderly fashion. Only an estimated 80 homes have been lost, unfortunately one really historic home owned by the Botanic Garden. 
We're hoping to get back in the house tomorrow sometime. Thanks again to all for their support here and through emails and phone calls. 
Chris


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Thats great news Chris, hope you guys get settled in as soon as possible


----------



## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Wonderful news Chris! I thought about calling you several times but figured you had enough on your plate already.  

My best to Gill and the girls! Thank God you've been spared on this one!


----------



## Bob Baxter (Jan 3, 2008)

That report calls for a great big PHEW!!! Great to hear!


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Chris, 

Delighted to hear that, I hope that most if not all will be OK when you can return.


----------



## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris....what a relief. Been there, done that!! Gail & I were evacuated from the same fire that burned out Bob & Jackie in 2003...just 40 miles more to the west. We were luckily spared. 
Here's to an orderly transition back home for you & yours.


----------



## John Corradini (Jan 2, 2008)

That’s good news Chris.
We pray there was little or no damage to the house.
If you need any help cleaning up once you get home just give me a call
and I will be there.


----------



## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm so glad this worked out for you Chris and the house survived. Now the fun begins....cleaning all that ash off the house and out of the pool. It took both Marge and I 10 hours of straight work JUST to get the pool cleaned. A hint for ya...THIS is perhaps the best time in your life to buy a pressure washer. Hoses don't cut it.


----------



## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

If the fire danger is really overfor you Chris, that is incredibly good news. What a stressful situation this had to be. Hope it all works out.


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

WOW Chris that's great news. Mike is right though about the tremendous amount of ash that will be EVERYWHERE. The hillside fire we had here a couple of years ago, made a real mess-the pool was the worst!

Thank you for the update.


----------



## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

Been difficult following this. 
Done one evacuation, and one full-on house fire. 
The evacuation is nothing compared to the house loss, and it appears you missed that disaster. 
I am happy for you. 

Ash cleans out. 

TOC


----------



## Duncan (Jan 2, 2008)

Does this mean we can breathe now??? 

Glad to hear that things have so far gone in your favor, Chris.


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Great news, Chris. Been following the links as close as possible. So glad to see that the main front didn't come any closer to your place.


----------



## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

HOME! We just got back in to the house. Everything is a-ok, just the expected ash. We're only the second family back in the area and there's an eerie stillness to the neighborhood. We're the Easternmost home allowed to re-occupy at the moment, so it's very quiet behind us. While the mandatory evacuation has been lifted for us, we're still under an evacuation warning in case the wind shifts again. But for now, it looks very hopeful that we've seen the last of the fire. 
Once again, thank you all for you kind concern. It's great to be home. 
Chris


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Chris, 

Glad to hear that you have made it home, and that everything is OK - Amazing! 

Thank you for the update.

I am sure that you andf your family will now be taking a much needed rest!


----------



## Guest (May 9, 2009)

HOME! We just got back in to the house.

Congratulations! 

and don't forget to cooperate with your local fire dept. - they deserve it and they need it. they are all working on shoestring budgets. (i just read in a firefighter forum, that Schwarzenegger might be going to cut fire dept's budgets...)


----------



## John Corradini (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris
What a relief to know you and the family are home and safe. 
Good to hear you suffered no damage to the house. 
Now comes the fun part the clean up.
We will continue to pray the fire does not return.


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Good news Chris. Welcome home. As John said, we will continue to pray that this fire will soon be knocked down and that no more loss of property occurs.


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John Corradini on 05/09/2009 4:26 PM
Chris
What a relief to know you and the family are home and safe. 
Good to hear you suffered no damage to the house. 
Now comes the fun part the clean up.
We will continue to pray the fire does not return.



Yes..... My words as well....


----------



## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

Glad to hear you are home. 
Been trying to follow the fire with my heart in my throat. 
When you've got time, please let us know how close it got.


----------



## sbaxters4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome Home Chris and Family!!! So very glad to here that you are able to get back into your home! Continue to pray for the safety of all still out of thier homes and the quick return home for them as well. Our thoughts and prayers also go out to all those who have lost thier homes to this fire! Praises to the fire crews who have done so much to save so many of the homes!! Thank you!


----------



## SandyR (Jan 6, 2008)

Chris, that's great news that your home was spared! Thanks be to God, and the firefighters! 
SandyR


----------



## Bob Starr (Jan 2, 2008)

[No message]


----------



## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

Wonderful news, Chris! My best to you and your family!


----------



## sheepdog (Jan 2, 2008)

Good News!


----------



## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Great news to hear your back at home and family safe. 

Maybe you can create a Specialized Lemurian Task force to help you cleanup the rails of Rogue County








Tommy








Rio Gracie


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Great NEWS! Glad all is fine. How close did it get?


----------



## jlcop (Jan 2, 2008)

What a relief! It seemed like everytime I walked through the dayroom the fire was being covered on the TV. Hepefully this is over for you now. 
John


----------



## Dave Crocker (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome home. It was good news to hear your area was OK.
As someone said earlier, ash is a lot easier to fix than a home.


----------



## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

They're just letting almost everyone back into their homes this morning. We haven't been able to get a look at the hillside yet; it's been shrouded in either smoke (yesterday) or fog (this morning). Most of the police blockade checkpoints have been removed. A friend a few blocks away says he can still see flames from his house. There continue to be hot spot fires erupting. I pity the poor spiders; a fly would have to be blind to fly into one of their webs full of ashes!









While the white ash is the most obvious, it's the very fine brown/black ash that I hate. It seems impossible to get rid of. This is a bright white chair; 










The sounds of the neighborhood are starting to return, now it's just a matter of getting the fire out. The firefighters have two days of calm before the high winds return. Great guys. The Hot Spot crews are flown in by helicopter, then have sleeping bags and food flown in so they can live next to the remote hot spots they're battling. 
Chris


----------



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I am so glad to here everything and everyone is ok 

You got to call Mega Movers. You got to move ( House and all) to some place away from the fires. Maybe we can get the History Chanel to pay for the move 

This is too nerve racking


----------



## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John Corradini on 05/09/2009 4:26 PM
Chris
What a relief to know you and the family are home and safe. 
Good to hear you suffered no damage to the house. 
Now comes the fun part the clean up.
We will continue to pray the fire does not return.



Amen!


----------



## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

I think JJ has a great idea. We are thankful for the safety of your home. This fire storm was much too close for comfort. 
Jim and Susie Carter


----------



## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for all of the updates, Chris. We're thankful that you are safe and albeit a mess, so is your house.

Take care, and God bless,
Matt


----------



## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Mrs. Rocky and I hope all is ok out there. We too are starting to have some problems down here with the fires. 
Where we are is ok, but there is 2 fires East of us and one to the west. Nothing I don't think like out there, but the news said that the one to the west of us is threating about 25 homes. Send us rain !!!! We've had 4 days of record temp.s with little chance of rain in sight. Maybe a small chance by wed./Thur. We'll just have to see. 

Rocky*


----------



## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)




----------

