A message to former Californians (Austin, Plano: transplants, house, high school)

[TXTwizter]

As a victim of a house fire when I was 16, I can really sympathize with those people who have lost their homes.
To all the California transplants here in the DFW area, I hope if you still have family and friends in California, I hope they are safe!

[Debsi]

Thanks.

I was really getting worried yesterday as they were evacuating Del Mar - about 4 miles north of my parents and grandfather. The danger for their area seems to be over thank god!

[tashina]

Pleasant surprise to see this thread...looking at the title I though it might be someone sick of all the Californians on this board.

I was a San Diego girl for my first 30 some years. (43 now). My sister is in La Mesa which escaped the fires and my mother is in Temecula, a bit North of the Rice Fire in the Fallbrook area. She lost some of her awning and some roof shingles to the high winds and the air quality isn't so good, but she's safe and that's what matters.

Scary fire for me, because I am moving from Austin to Plano right now, but had considered moving back to the Rancho Bernardo area and that's where the worst home loss is. Where I live in Austin there's some fire danger too. I'm headed to Plano and will take my chances with the tornadoes.

Thanks for the good wishes.

[kt2le]

What a nice thread! We don't know anyone affected by the current fires but have friends whose house burned in the Berkeley fires outside San Francisco back in the early 1990's. Every home was destroyed and the hills were covered in burned out foundations. They rebuilt, as did most of their neighbors. I'm not sure I'd have wanted to, especially after knowing fire trucks couldn't get up the winding roads (!!!), but it sure is pretty up in the Berkeley Hills and the views are something else. We've been thinking of everyone in Southern California and hope the fires can be extinguished with minimal life loss.

[Lakewooder]

My sister lives just north of Temecula at Canyon Lake. One of my high school classmates lives in Malibu and I finally heard from her after a couple of days - I had figured out from the satellite photos that she was just north of the fire. She said the PCH is closed and they are stuck at home. Another classmate has a son going to Pepperdine and they were evacuated.

[blueskies49]

I have a cousin in Temeculah. She was born and raised in California but we don't keep in touch much so I'm not sure if she's still there. I need to find out. My dad currently lives in Long Beach. I called him yesterday and he said the fires are not near him and that he can't even smell the smoke.

I've been following the fires, not just because of my dad, but because I feel so badly for everyone there and I hope that this can be over with soon and everybody be safe! Oh, I do know someone there but I don't remember what town she lives in. She moved about a couple of years ago from CA to TX with her husband and they had to recently move back to CA. She didn't want to leave but he had some health issues and they felt that they needed to be near family.