The most surreal day... ever.

Yesterday was an interesting day.  To say the least.  Nightmare might be more like it.  Have you ever been in the position where you need to quickly decide what belongings you need and what ones you don't?  What items and family treasures you can not live without?  Yep, that was us yesterday.

I'll start at the beginning.  I am in town with Laine for skating, we had left the rink and were on our way home... James calls.  He says "don't be alarmed if there is a fire truck in the drive way when you get home."  I am like "huh?!"  Then he says "can you see smoke from the highway?"  I am like "huh?!"  I mean, come on!  I am starting to freak!  He then tells me how the forestry fire people have a fire truck in our drive way to protect us from an out of control brush fire!  OMG!  I finally turn off the highway onto the gravel and I see multiple helicopters (I think 3 or 4... can't remember now), doing a circle... filling with water from a dugout and dumping on the fire.  So insane.  The fire was on the edge of the hill, and we are on top.  We were the closest residence... the first in it's path.  Not good at all.  The police come and talk to us, he says he does not have the order to evacuate yet...  the way he said 'yet' worried me.  So I asked if I should start gathering things.  He looks at me and says, it might not hurt to gather the things that can't be replaced.  OMG!  This is not happening is all I kept thinking.  I ran around in a panic.  Grabbed my albums, my computer (been a while since I backed up photos onto disc... not a good feeling), my negatives, Laine's art work... and my babies footprints off the wall.  My mom was on the phone with me, telling me where to go next... I am seriously running back and forth not sure what to do next.  I never would have thought of the footprints off the wall either, she made me grab those.  It really sucked to look around and decide if you could live without it or not.

It was soooooo windy yesterday.  Insane.  I guess an old fire (at somebody else's residence) had picked up again with the wind and before they knew it, it was into the bush.  The wind was coming in our direction.  They say it was 1/2 mile away... getting closer to our land. 

At one point I looked up and there were 5 airplanes circling and at least 3 helicopters.  All right there above us. 

 

That was taken out my window.  He dumped the water shortly after.  Then the planes started to fly over.  Right over.  Like... we saw the outlined shadow of a plane on our living room wall.  That is when this happened...

Yep, they dumped on us.  Both our trucks, our house, our garage, our shed, our trees... everything.  We found out later when they came up to talk to us about it, that it wasn't intentional... that the pilot had to dump his load or the wind was going to take him down and he was going to crash.  Yes, if he didn't lighten up he was going down... right in our yard.  OMG, I can not even begin to tell you how surreal yesterday was. 

Here is a shot of our nice pretty view... ha ha!  I guess this just may stay on our trees for a while... the guy said it could take years before it is gone.  Nice.  Like I mean, obviously we didn't want the pilot to crash, and obviously we are beyond grateful that they got the fire under control... but still, it looks like a scene from a horror movie! lol  Oh well, 100% better than no trees... or even worse, no home.  I can live with red trees. 

Yep, horror movie.  Kinda creepy actually. 

...and this is just a portion of it. 

he heeee, I was bugging James earlier and said... "now we have easy directions, when you get to the red trees, turn right!" lol

Here is a shot of the second attempt to dump the fire retardant... in the right spot. lol  These were taken from the veranda on the front of the house.

That was their second and last attempt.  The pilots said no more... too windy, and too dangerous!  I honestly can't believe they made a second attempt after having to bail on the first!

It was just nuts.

Totally surreal.

Thankfully the wind eventually died down and they were able to keep it under control.  They are all still out in the bush though...

I am totally keeping my 'can't live without' stuff packed and by the door.  Yep, it can stay there until the firemen go home.

Comments

[Lovebug Kat]

Geesh Jen, so glad your house is okay and most importantly youa nd family are okay.
How frightening for you.
((HUGS))

[Amanda]

Oh my GOSH Jen!! How scary! So glad it didn't end up reaching your property! Thanks for the post... reminds me I need to back up my photos too! And to actually think about what I would do (and take) if something like that happened to me.

[JenGallacher]

I'm glad you are ok. I hope they get the fire under control soon! :(

[Amy]

What a day is an understatement! Hope the threat is gone for good. Keep safe.

[Amber Winward]

I'm so glad to know that you and your family (and house) are safe. that can be such a scary situation!
I stalk your blog often and am totally in LOVE with your photography. Was wondering what camera you use and if you use any filters (and what kind they are)? You are very very talented. Thanks for sharing all that you do! :)

[Annette]

Thank God .. it was only a close call.. I am so glad everything is okay and you didn't loose anything and all you gained is the memories, the pictures and the new land markings..
Hugz..

[Christina Clarke]

WOW that is one scary day! Thankfully they were able to get everything under control without any damage to your home...except the red stuff I guess, but I would live with that knowing what COULD have happened. Thanks for sharing your nightmare of a day.

Christina

[tara pakosta]

oh thank God you are all okay>!
so scarY!>
tara