Thank God we're safe

(those shots were taken by Marla who was further up on campus)

 
You'll see the football field on this video, which is approximately 300 yards from our house.
Tonight at about 5:00, while Henry was eating dinner, I heard a siren. I looked but saw no fire trucks, which would normally be driving up the hill toward the school. Just to be sure though I looked out back where the canyon is to see if it might be on fire, and it wasn't so I didn't think about it again...until the security company called. They call our house when someone has pulled a fire alarm. So the woman on the phone told me there was a car fire nearby and in which building the alarm was pulled. I am about to call someone from the school when Amy, our neighbor and friend, knocks on my door saying that the fire is up at the football field but the fire dept. is telling us to stay put. WHAT???!!! I had no idea. It explains why I didn't see the trucks going up the hill...they turned right just below my driveway. I went outside the front of the house and saw black smoke, heard multiple helicopters and saw the "scoopers" or planes that drop ocean water. I grabbed Henry, put Cody on the leash, and started loading a few things (some pictures, camera, computer, the "box" that has all the important documents) into our car because I knew we'd be leaving very soon. It's amazing how true it is that none of the other stuff matters. Poor Henry could feel my fear, and he too was scared. He cried a little but basically then just went with the flow. Then I'm on the phone with Ellen, who is watching this on TV and talking with her firefighter husband, Eric. I'm hearing that we are going to be ok...but it doesn't register when you see the smoke and hear all the planes and fire trucks. We all got into the car and got as far as the end of our driveway when we were told that we cannot leave because there was a fire hose at the base of the hill, and we couldn't drive over it. By then there were 4 other cars in my driveway and a lot of neighbors hanging around. Henry was happy sitting in his car seat drinking his mild and laughing because Cody was sitting in my seat. We were then told that we were to evacuate by foot down the hill. Everyone was so helpful. I didn't mention that Mark is out of town on a student retreat so he wasn't here. We all hung out at the bottom of the hill and waited. Henry was entertained by Grace and Charlie, plus he just loved looking at the trucks. It was a little over an hour and 1/2 when we were cleared to come back home.

here is a picture from our driveway...you can see the fence that is at the edge of the football field:



the super scooper through the trees:



the bottom of the hill:









I am sitting here still stunned. Did you know a fire can travel 55 mph?? Thank you, God, for taking care of all of us.