My home is in Show Low AZ....now you have all heard of it, right? The fire is either going to go into the town, or the fire lines will hold within the next few hours....I evacuated Thursday with my animals, but left everything else there. Please, creditnetters, say a prayer for us...the next few hours are critical. Thanks, Greyfox
We'll be thinking of you. I'm happy for you that you have your animals with you They make all the difference in the world... good luck with your home.
In order to make this credit related, I hope you brought your credit cards with you too. LOL May you be returned home safe and sound soon!
LOL....one of the first things we did was grab all the credit cards....and the checkbook! Thanks for all the good wishes, creditnetters.
GreyFox, I am sending prayers to everyone in Show Low, and the surrounding towns. I'm in Sedona and we're all thinking of our neighbors and sending prayers. Mommy2cats
7 degrees of Kevin Bacon...I figured this would have to affect someone on this board since the fire is so large. Children and Animals first, pictures and memories next, credit cards last ... they can be replaced ) Good luck and a safe return to an unblemished house. -Peace, Dave
Just saw an updated fire map. At 6:00 P.M. AZ time, the fire is headed directly for my end of town, just blocks away...winds have shifted to the west, and are driving it towards us...had hoped the winds would continue to drive it to the north. Can only hope the firefighters have foamed our home. Got my pictures, computers, a few clothes ( and credit cards)...since I left I remembered a couple of small momentos from my dead grandmother I wish I had saved, and would like to have saved my grandmother clock...funny how one's mind works at a time like this. The chimes of that clock kind of signified "home". We were afraid of a fire this summer, as things are so dry, but when it actually happens, you feel as though it is a nightmare. Still hoping..... For map scroll down to "rodeo fire Jun 25" http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/fire/webdaily/swalargefires/?N=D
I'm praying for you and your family, greyfox, what a devastating fire that is! I'm between Cottonwood and Sedona, and anything I can do for you, please post, I'd be happy to. You're safe at the moment? Have a place to stay or are in a shelter? This is a very credit-related post, I've wondered more than a few times how any of you are living -- not many of us have money set aside to relocate our families to another location for days and unknown weeks. Paycheck to paycheck living or using credit cards, what else can you do. You have insurance on your house? I don't know if it's any comfort or not, I'm sure you've seen the news reports and especially of the critical nature for today, but those firefighters are fiercely determined to save ShowLow -- I'm praying for them too. Be safe, you're not alone. I've room if you need a place to stay and will jump for anything else you may need. Big hugs to you and yours. Sassy
Greyfox I haven't been around this board very long, but you and all your town are in my prayers. Don't forget that when you feel that everything is lost and gone, you still have GOD>> Hold on to him as tight as you can and he will guide you through, when the road reaches a dead end, just look up to him and he will give you to strength to find a way back home. YOU CAN DO IT!!! My thoughts are with you.. Sandra (fran)
GreyFox: Here's some local links, everything is down in ShowLow but Lakeside is maintaining information, including a message board. http://www.pinetoplakesidechamber.com/ http://www.pinetopfire.com/ http://www.wmonline.com/ http://www.rodeofire.com/ http://www.kphotv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=832965&nav=23Kt9lzl9muz There's links to AZ media with additional information as well. AND, some clever person with a webcam functioning from Heber. Heber re-burned today :-( Last report I caught was from Channel 3, Bruce in his helicopter, about 6:30p, said they had lost some houses on the western edge of ShowLow. Just closed Coconino Forest this evening, Tonto and Apache-Sitegraves yesterday. I'll watch specifically for the break-in updates and definately post at 10p when they do the daily briefing and update the maps. Hoping you can find someone friendly on the message boards for more specific info. Gosh, I bet you're sitting on the edge! The insurance companies have been processing immediate living expenses checks. The channel 5 link has specific fire links to the insurance company. Smart you were with foresight to video inventory your contents -- I hope you don't need to use it. I'm glad you are safe. Sassy
Sorry, forgot something, did you leave an answering machine connected to your phone at your house? That's how people in the shelters have been finding out the status of their homes, calling and seeing if their machines are still picking up! Sassy
greyfox, I have been praying for Show Low ever since I first heard the news a couple of days ago - For everyone affected by this fire. So many losing so much!
10p Lots of rah rah footage on President Bush's stop-over this morning and fire suppression as management political issues. The next couple of hours is the difference between flames in Showlow or not. The media that remained in Showlow have been removed from the command center to a safer location. The command center is where the fireman all set-up their tent camp. The focus is the western and eastern flanks of the fire. A wall of fire entering Showlow is still possible but no longer anticipated. Concern is the spot fires being created from shooting embers. 24-hour fire teams have been able to put out all that have started. Concern of shooting embers getting across US 60, east towards Lakeside. Substantial burn-out today on both sides of the highway. Firemen burn-out of the Cottonwood Canyon area, 13 miles, last night kept the fire from entering the City from that direction. They've 400 fireman teams stationed here for the night. This line and the fire crews are all that is standing between the fire and Showlow -- the fireman are encouraged. The National Guard will be taking evacuees on van tours through the burned out areas beginning on Thursday. Weather expected to be in the mid-eighties by the end of the week; dry lightening storms are predicted. Air advisories declared for both Apache and Navaho counties -- reports of the smoke into mid- New Mexico. 6th shelter opened in Tucson. 375,000 acres burned as of this morning, that's the last report -- no update for tonight on today's progression. 345 to 390 homes destroyed; 16 businesses; 35,500 evacuees. Reward issued via silent witness for arson-related information. O% contained but containment percentage expected to be released sometime tomorrow. The west side of the fire is burning just east of Payson; southern flank still burning towards Cibecue; eastern is within 0 to 1/2 mile of Showlow city limits (line is 1/2 mile west of showlow); not sure what the southern boundary is at the moment, it had burned through the major APS power line if you're familiar with that. Update said it was a good day for the firefighters -- they are feeling good about the Cottonwood Canyon burn-out and that it held. The smoke cover created an inversion effect within Showlow, keeping the temperature down and humidity close to the ground -- good for fighting efforts, compared to a lid on a skillet. Because of the inversion, little fire activity during the day until about 5p when it picked up again. 4 teams of Type I firefighters in the area; 3 working; fire divided into 4 branches. That's what the delay is in getting the progression report this evening -- each branch has to feed the information in, then it has to be coordinated; it won't be released until the morning news briefing. The progression lines will be updated then. Mass production of "team arizona" fire t-shirts being distributed by phoenix business. Free to all evacuees -- being sold in department stores for $10 each; proceeds directly to the Showlow Fire Department. 375k = estimated value of lost lumber -- 3/4 from the Apache Reservation. The Governor is issuing emergency tax relief for the victims. Temporary unemployment benefits are available for displaced workers. Sorry, there just wasn't any specifics on the area presently burning :-( in and around Showlow, other than the 1/2 mile line on the western side. They have lost no structures within the city limits -- so you're still ok if located inside the official boundaries. Sassy
Gosh, thanks so much for the great responses and info you provided, creditnetters! Yes, we are calling our answering machine a couple of times a day, early morning and late evening...it picked upat 5 a.m. today (Wed.) I am a little more hopeful, as the map is showing the fire line seems to be back a ways from the town, and not headed directly toward our place...it looks as though the Northwest end may be in danger tho. http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/fire/webdaily/swalargefires/rodeo-chediski-geomac-1126.jpg TV reporting just now that Show Low seems to have "dodged the bullet". Sure hope that's true, cause I wanna go home!!!!
Greyfox - I'm in Phoenix, and we've been "doing the laps" on the rosary beads for y'all. Please keep us posted on your situation, and let us know if you need anything! Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the fire. Kate
Hi GreyFox, Just home for lunch and catching the news for you. Correction from yesterday, 375k in lost timber should be 375 million, a huge impact for the Apache Nation. 5% containment announced, that's up around Clay Springs and Linden. The only thing that burned in Showlow was about an acre or so, started via flying embers, contained and put out in the Wagonwheel area. The lines are holding at US 60 and the other side of the fire is the focus today, trying to do the same kind of line to the east at 260. They want to run the fire, flanked, north to south -- get it out of the forested areas and into the scrub and grasses. They've lost some stuff in the Forest Lakes area but that's where the focus and main activity is. They really seem encouraged and hopeful with the Showlow area. The progression was up to 410k acres, so yesterday was really small compared to what it had been daily The rumor yesterday was that they'd arrested someone, the CIA and FBI have about 11 officers there, for arson but that was a bogus rumor. Someone was arrested for shuffling around Showlow that hadn't evacuated. Those that didn't evacuate had to sign waivers of their civil rights and were confined to their homes. The other arrest was in Lakeside, some doof started another fire!!!!!!!!!! I'll never figure out the need for that kind of drama. I hope you're getting some snippets of coverage of the amazing humanity stories coming out of the area -- the communities taking in the evacuees, Eager, Payson, Holbrook and the people of Showlow and the other areas are just incredible in taking care of each other. Gotta love that! Stay safe, GreyFox, praying for you and yours. Sassy They are still planning on the National Guard touring the burned out areas with evacuees on Thursday -- that's for the Heber/Overguard.
