Noticed a post by pique on Facebook. She posted a picture of a lot of smoke near her house.
A fire is moving toward her home.
Friends have removed the horses. One must have sent her the picture.
If you have any influence with the gods of the winds contact them now.

Oh no, this is terrifying!!!!

... as we all run to FB.

OMG. Pique’. Crossing fingers and toes, hoping everything will be OK.

Wow.

Be safe, piqué.

How are things this morning?

Things are settling down but it is a very windy time of year and the fire keeps blazing back to life because it got into tree roots and spreading underground. We had 3" of snow the day after the fire and it didn't kill it. The FD and DNRC are out in the woods behind our place making sure it doesn't come back. We are warned to be on the alert as the weather warms up and dries out again.

There is an investigation. It may have been arson.

We came out of this unscathed, but we are working to fireproof our property every day.

Our downhill neighbors were not so lucky. They did not lose their homes but their yards, equipment and vehicles are either scorched or melted. Most of all they are traumatized.

A few years ago I set up an online neighborhood network--both email and text--so our 8 households could discuss matters that impacted all of us. Those message centers have ben super busy since Sunday.

If any good came out of this, it's that the 7 households who participate in the network all pulled together and helped each other, and we all feel a stronger bond. When you live on an isolated hillside in a severe climate, neighbors are family.

We were 5 hours away, but three of my neighbors put their own safety and interests aside to demand the fire department let them get our horses out, and to look for our dog (she was with us). They called and texted me repeatedly as we raced home. They had to abandon their own homes with nothing but the clothes they had on (there was literally not a second to grab a thing) and had to let their own animals loose, but they fought the FD to get to my house and load up my horses and get them out (they had to drive through a neighbors property to flee--our road was on fire and impassable). Then she sat with them for 4 hours until we got home.

Incredible.

We got home in time to help round up all the loose animals. They included goats, horses, chickens, cats, dogs, a parrot, and a cow. The cow spent the night at our place, and another neighbor brought it a round bale with his tractor. Below us everyone's fences were burned out. The hay was all lost too.

Lots of teary hugs going around. (Glad we've got vaccine immunity). I bought a spa days for my neighbor who pushed the FD around to save Deva and Simon, and gave her hazard pay (she was horse sitting). She is still coughing from the smoke.

We are all looking out for each other now on this hill. Wind is howling again today!

Good neighbors are worth their weight in gold. So glad everyone got through this. Hope those underground fires go out soon. (How do you put out an underground fire? Just wait for massive rain? We had underground fires here in Oregon when the forests burned last fall. Hoping they’re all out now, after the winter.)

Good on the neighbors!

Glad everyone is safe!

Oh my gosh Pique, wow, just wow!

Absolutely terrifying, pique.
A real nightmare!

All by the heart-warmng aspect of how your neighbors pulled together sacrificially. Sounds downright Amish!

SO glad you and four-footed friends are safe.

Again, wow.

What an amazing and encouraging story of how all your neighbors pulled together to save your animals. You live in a great community.

I am so glad you and your house are safe. Very scary!