For me, it has been a difficult few years (not because of money) but because of health. So, the 25 people who died in Montecito affected a lot of people we know a lot and one of the people we know that was a couple who stayed evacuated at our place in Santa Barbara also passed away. So, in the last almost 20 years in this house there are at least 4 deaths now associated with his house. It was my wife's mother's house originally but she passed away in 1999 and her husband, my wife's stepfather lived there until he was 98 about 1 1/2 year ago now. So, for her this new house is a mixed bag of memories that go back for her to about 1979.
Then the fires this year in California have been pretty insane (the most fires acreage wise likely 'that we know of' likely in 110,000 years now). So, most places eventually might burn down if they are close to grassy fields of wild oats or chaparral or trees a lot, maybe just not this year. So, if you own a home where it is beautiful and wild be sure to purchase Fire Insurance if you haven't already likely after November when it becomes available once again this year.
I was forced out of Mt. Shasta City on July 7th because I just couldn't breathe the smoke in the air on top of the 3800 feet altitude of the city at my present age (This was then from the Klamathon Fire) to the north of Mt. Shasta near the border around Hilt. I suppose if I had lived there several months I would have been able to do it but I now am adapted to Sea level since around 1992 which is the last time I lived in Mt. Shasta full time. The first time I lived there full time was about 1976 after my wife and I returned from living in Hawaii in Hilo then.
Then I guess I sprained my knee in the Mt. Shasta 4th of July Walk Run with thousands of other people then. So, most of July between about July 7th and the end of July I couldn't really walk or drive a car anywhere. Then on top of this the fog was unbelievable this year (never ending from April and it's still going on now). However, the good thing about this is that the undergrowth in the forests around me are green (which is unbelievable any year for September). But still, even the trees would like some sun at this point even though they are coastal trees adapted for thousands of years for more San Francisco Bay area cloudy weather in June (but not from April all the way to September or October)!
So, not only was the a tough year for almost all Californians it was also a tough year for me personally. So, I'm trying to break out of just how depressing this summer has been since July 7th.
So, I survived all this so far and so did all my family and now my friends in Shasta are packing up their things in case the latest fire (which has closed Interstate 5 still) comes up to Dunsmuir and Mt. Shasta city. The people in Dunsmuir have been told to prepare for evacuation by the way as of a couple of days ago. My friends living in Mt. Shasta have said the smoke was so bad from the Delta Fire on Interstate 5 that even at Panther Meadows (around 7000 to 8000 feet) it was still smoky. So staying indoors and not opening windows is the rule for most people who can do this now in the area.
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