The Station Fire got out of hand because they were concentrating on the Morris Fire and didn’t have the ability to bring enough resources to bear quickly enough to stop it. I also assume that the evidence they are talking about finding at the ignition point dealt with some kind of accelerant which cause wider initial dispersal that would normally happen. A vehicle accident almost always involves gallons of fuel to really give the fire a major initial boost.

My first wildfire experience was cause by one of our patrol cars using a dirt road to check on a complaint of a wild party in the woods. The road was rarely used and there were weeds in the middle of it. Fortunately the guy driving called in and got the vehicle to a bare spot before dumping the fire extinguisher on the fire [almost totally ineffective]. We had a quick response from the firefighters and a conveniently placed hydrant out in the middle of nowhere. That was caused by the catalytic converter. If he hadn’t moved the car, the gas tank could have gone up, and we would have had a real problem and lost some very old woods, and possibly a herd of deer.

We had had a dry month, not a dry year, but it was autumn with a lot of leaf fall.

The Red Cross here actually has a FABULOUS spread…it’s all done through the local chapter. When I had to evacutate for the Jesusita Fire and ended up at UCSB, they had food donations coming out of the rafters. Bottled water, Pizza, Fresh fruit (from the Backyard Harvest folks), coffee, cereal, etc.

We had a little scare here yesterday…a car went off the side of the highway and started a fire up in the hills. Thank goodness the winds weren’t blowing and our humidity is up.
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I’m glad you had such a great spread. For a while it looked like it might have been MRE’s and bottled water at a Red Cross shelter if the winds had kicked up.

Scotch bonnet martinis
Heirloom tomato salad with mozzerella, balsamic and oil drizzle and basil
Halibut with macademia nut/shitake topping
Green beans with butter/garlic/anchovy sauce
Tablas Creek chardonnay
Cupcakes with buttercream frosting
cigars
single malt scotch
star gazing

Thankful for for knowing some really kind and generous folks.
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I know someone who terrorized the California drivers license examiners for 6 years before finally deciding that they were serious about signaling, coming to a complete stop, the speed limit, and other “totally unimportant things”. We never mention parking.

i passed mine with flying colors. as in the examiner gave me a passing grade so that i wouldn’t come back.
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I do the license plates on the ‘Net, but I have to go to the DMV for the driver’s license next year, and it is in a kind of seedy part of town in a dinky little building with very little parking. I will go early to renew, because it was a major pain last time. School had just let out for the summer and kids were trying to pass their driving tests.

except that nowadays both agencies so quick and efficient, it’s like you hardly had a birthday at all.
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