LA FIRES - THINGS HAVE CHANGED FAST - UPDATE 7
The low wind has allowed the Mandeville Canyon canyon fire has moved uphill. A Yellow Warning has been issued for Encino and Sherman Oaks south of Ventura Blvd. (a mile south of me)
What wind there is, is pushing southeast, so the fire we can see is not directly above us. I just spoke to my neighbor two miles east, Robert Hubbell - he says from the wind pattern Sherman Oaks is more likely to be hit. The two photos I am posting were taken on my street, 30 minutes apart. This is looking SSE.
The Santa Ana winds are supposed to pick up through the evening - they will be blowing to the south, keeping us upwind. Right now, I am praying for the winds.
Telephoto effect makes it look closer than it is by a factor of 2. It’s still closer than I have ever been to anything like this.
I will keep you updated.
UPDATE 1
There is a mandatory evacuation order north of Sunset blvd. between Mandeville Canyon and the 405 freeway, south of the Encino Reservoir.
The fire is still moving slowly.
Yes, I am smart enough to be scared and depending on what I learned in the Navy to make myself slow down and organize.
UPDATE
The fire is moving ESE. Santa Monica and Brentwood are in more danger than north Encino.
I packed a suitcase. Fortunately I just got cat food, so have packed a box with cartons of wet food and the bag of crunchies.
I will pull the computer last - it has to go since my life is on it.
UPDATE 3
Wind is picking up - ESE. They’re more worried about things south of Muholland - away from me. Worried about Brentwood. Flames are lower over the crest. They’ve been attacking continuously. All signs are on my side right now.
UPDATE 4
I can’t see any flames over the ridge tops. I can see reflection of fire beyond. I think we may have turned the corner, but I just made a fresh pot of coffee and will be staying up all night. My upset level is down to half.
The good wishes and prayers look like they’re working. This atheist thanks you.
UPDATE 5
Brentwood is now threatened. The pictures there look like what we were seeing two hours ago. Sure hate to see this for anyone, but right now am starting to feel like “it ain’t me!”
UPDATE 6 - 0100 HOURS, SATURDAY JANUARY 11
The neighborhood is so quiet when I went outside I could hear the helicopters working the “hot spot” on the other side of the Santa Monicas. The orange glow is still there, but low like it’s been since the big air attack around 2100 last night.
I brought the big dog carrier into the living room and opened it. This was where the kitties all lived at one point in their lives when I was domesticating them (they were all born feral). They’ve all been going in and out, sniffing it, lying down inside, playing around it like they did when they were little. I don’t think they’ll be afraid of it if we have to put it to use. Wet and dry food is packed in the car trunk.
From the last news report, it doesn’t appear that the worry is the fire advancing north into Encino. Officially, the yellow zone prepare-to-evacuate zone has been dropped. We may have experienced a skin-of-our-teeth close call. Wind is expected to pick up around 0500, and will be out of the north, so will drive fires away from us for the next Santa Ana’s (Sat/Sun). NBC called it quits for coverage till 0500.
It’s cold outside (for LA) - 47 degrees. All you snowed-in types can stop laughing now; I can hear you. Sure do hope I don’t have to pull out of here in the middle of the night. I put my thermals on.
I guess I am the “sentry.” I’ll call Robert Hubbell’s if there’s any change - they have friend/refugees from the Altadena fire staying with them.
I just want to say that living alone here, this would have been harder to do if I hadn’t had all of you here with me, plus my modeling friends from around the world. So thank you to each of you; you’ve been a big help.
God I hope I never have to do this again!
UPDATE 7
At 0600, the fire is still knocked back. I can see a “hot spot” that is still on the other side of the hills. Wind is supposed to pick up this morning, blowing fire away from us.
Looks like we made it through the night.
Can’t hit the like button knowing that’s so close to you. PLEASE be safe and know we’re all thinking of you, Tom. May the road rise to meet you and the wind be at your back.
My darling friend, there you are in LA, watching flames on the horizon like some apocalyptic sunset while packing cat food and your computer - which, by the way, is exactly what I would grab too because let's be honest, our lives are in these machines now, aren't they? Remember when people just grabbed photo albums? Now we're all clutching laptops like life rafts.
I did this dance 30 times in Montecito (yes, THIRTY - who says lightning doesn't strike the same place repeatedly? Fire certainly does). And every single time, I'd think "Well, surely THIS time I'll be calm and collected" - and then I'd find myself throwing random things in bags at 3 AM like someone who's never heard of organized packing. Though I must say, your Navy training is showing - wet food AND crunchies? That's what I call emergency preparedness.
Here's what I learned after evacuation #12 or maybe it was #22 (they all blur together): grab your favorite pajamas, pillow, and blanket RIGHT NOW. Actually, just put those pajamas on, wrap that blanket around your shoulders like a superhero cape, sit on the pillow, and let your cat nestle into your lap while you keep watch. Trust me on this - there's something oddly comforting about facing potential disaster in your coziest clothes. I used to parade through fancy hotel lobbies in my ancient, beloved bedroom slippers, holes and all. They became quite the conversation starter, but hey - it was my personal crisis party, and I refused to dress for anyone else's comfort but my own.
I love that you're making fresh coffee and keeping watch like some modern-day Paul Revere ("The fire is coming! The fire is coming!"). And yes, it's perfectly fine to feel that flood of relief when the danger shifts away from you, followed by that immediate Catholic-level guilt (even for an atheist) when you realize it's heading toward Brentwood. That's just being human. Speaking of which, your line about "this atheist thanks you" for the prayers made me laugh out loud - crisis really does make ecumenicals of us all.
Stay safe, keep those updates coming, and remember - it's okay to be scared. Even with all that military training, you're still allowed to be human. Though I must say, you're handling this with far more grace than I ever did. I usually ended up stress-eating all my emergency snacks before any actual emergency happened.
Sending love and hopes for gentle winds in the right direction. And maybe grab an extra bag of those cat crunchies, just in case - we both know cats pick the worst times to get picky about their food. Now go put those pajamas on - consider it a direct order from a veteran fire evacuee.