Tuesday, Nov. 04, 2003 3:18 P.M.

Aftermath

It was delightful. Just now, I opened my window and breathed fresh clean air for the first time in almost two weeks. Gentle rains had washed the outside surfaces of everything and freshened the atmosphere. It has been difficult to take a deep breath without feeling as though your throat and lungs were burning and being smothered. And after the smoke had largely disappeared, the pungent odor of dirty ashes filled every space.

But here, in the Simi Valley fire, we were incredibly fortunate. Several factors contributed to this good fortune. First, there was the firebreak above our homes, which I described in my last journal entry. But I heard about a news interview with a resident of the area in which she explained another factor.

It seems that she lived on the very perimeter of a newly developed area. The firestorm was advancing only a short distance from her home, and seemed very threatening. She went out to ask a firefighter near the home if they should evacuate. The firefighter replied, �Not unless you want to. But either leave or get back in the house. You will be perfectly safe inside the house.� He repeated that statement.

Upon investigation, it seems that the City of Simi Valley has had such stringent building codes since about 1982, that the newer homes are practically fireproof. They are built with fire retardant materials, no exposed wood or wooden eaves. The landscaped areas around each development are covered with fire retardant plants. The perimeter walls are made of fire retardant materials, and there is a pipe across the outer edge of each planted space, which automatically activates during fires, soaking the hillsides with water. There is much more, but the building code is so strict regarding these factors, that it is somewhat difficult to get some building plans approved without major changes, in this area.

But, I am sure that the main ingredient in the safety of properties here, was the caliber of firefighters, which we have in our City. Southern California reputedly has the most well trained corps of firefighters in almost any part of the nation.

This past weekend we drove back into a canyon which was in the very forefront and �belly� of the advancing flames. Nothing but charred remains could be seen from the roadside up across the hills. Except for the ranches and homes built back into the canyon. It is beyond my ability to describe how the fires devoured everything right down to each property line. And the firefighters stopped their advance exactly at the property edge, sparing not only the home, but all trees, bushes and landscaped areas�including out buildings, as well. They didn�t even look singed. Mile after mile, home after home, this was true. As the cyclonic winds whipped the flames pell-mell down the canyon, not a home or any personal property was touched, including a large Plant Nursery.

I thought the photo above was striking with its contrasting colors. It is a golf course in the canyon. The hills burned. The water drainage ditches are charred. The greens are lovely.

Below are two photos I took on the drive through the canyon.

We were listening to a scanner during the fires. At one point, the flames were advancing toward the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library high on a mountaintop here in Simi Valley. The voice stated: �Unit 25 is protecting Air Force One.� The airplane used by Reagan during his presidency, has been disassembled, in order to be moved into a new �hangar� being constructed at the Library. This will house and display the re-assembled plane in the near future.

Entrance to the Reagan Library in Simi Valley

There are many heartbreaking stories of devastating loss here in southern California, due to the firestorms. But here in Simi Valley, we have much to be thankful for, this Thanksgiving.

Hope you do too!

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