Why I can't get 15% off my Mercury car insurance...

[schrackman]

And here is the pictured evidence. This the fire that began near Pioneertown, north of Palm Springs near Yucca Valley and Twenty Nine Palms.

Apparently, my car insurance company thinks our house is too close to the low lying dry hills you see just below the mountains, and thus we stand too much of a fire risk for them and therefore cannot combine our house and car insurance together to get the 15% discount. They said we could get back to them in six months to see if their boundaries had changed and if we could then combine the insurance policies. Well, that time is up and now this fire has kicked in. I guess they won't be changing their minds on the boundaries any time soon now.

At least we're covered by another company, and I can see why such insurance is so necessary for homeowners. When I read about this fire in this morning's paper, it had already scorched 17,000 acres. When I got to church tonight, one of the members told me it had grown to 30,000 acres. Don't know if that is accurate or not, but as of tonight after church I can now see flames rising over the crest of the ridge. They're still quite a way off from our house, but I can just imagine the scare if this fire was raging in the mountains and hills just above our house!

[Kokopeli]

I'll join in with the prayers. In the mean time, be sure and get out and watter down your yard. I think your grass looks quite thirsty. j/k ;)

Watering your yard and removing any dead plant life from around your property isn't a bad idea though...

[schrackman]

Well, it looks like the fire was prevented from going fully over the ridge, so I guess there's no danger of it coming over to this side of the mountains. It's still burning a lot of ground, though. I took this around noon today about 2 miles west of the last picture.

[deckcadet]

scary! i'm glad it didn't get over that ridge. Now will someone please explain this to the people at the insurance co?

[schrackman]

scary! i'm glad it didn't get over that ridge. Now will someone please explain this to the people at the insurance co?

Well, to be honest, I can see where the insurance company is coming from. If that lightning bolt had struck the mountains on this side of the ridge, well, I shudder to even think of what might happen after that. There are dozens and dozens of homes and businesses up along the bottom of those mountains and in the foothills below them, all surrounded by plenty of fuel that has built up over the decades. It's only a matter of time before it all explodes into a crazy out-of-control wildfire like what we see on the other side of these mountains. As Gene mentioned, that is what happened the year before in Simi Valley and then AGAIN last year in Simi Valley, which then spread south toward the 101 and devoured acres upon acres of land, quite a few homes, and scaring the bejeebers out of thousands more.

But, I suppose I prefer to put up with the earthquakes and wildfires than the stuff you folks put up with out there in Florida and the other states, namely HURRICANES! And I bet you say just the opposite about us, LOL.

[schrackman]

Umm...just WHEN did this Reason for editing pop up? Now I gotta tell you WHY I'm editing my own post?

If I sound perturbed...I'm not, really...I'm just trying now to hit that 1000 mark as fast as possible. :yesnod:

[deckcadet]

Well, to be honest, I can see where the insurance company is coming from. If that lightning bolt had struck the mountains on this side of the ridge, well, I shudder to even think of what might happen after that. There are dozens and dozens of homes and businesses up along the bottom of those mountains and in the foothills below them, all surrounded by plenty of fuel that has built up over the decades. It's only a matter of time before it all explodes into a crazy out-of-control wildfire like what we see on the other side of these mountains. As Gene mentioned, that is what happened the year before in Simi Valley and then AGAIN last year in Simi Valley, which then spread south toward the 101 and devoured acres upon acres of land, quite a few homes, and scaring the bejeebers out of thousands more.

But, I suppose I prefer to put up with the earthquakes and wildfires than the stuff you folks put up with out there in Florida and the other states, namely HURRICANES! And I bet you say just the opposite about us, LOL.

The whole insurance thing is getting out of hand. they are so quick ot want to get out of any tight situation caused by nature- that's WHY we need insurance though! UGH!

I'd rather have earthquakes than hurricanes. Insurance rates have skyrocketed in FL for the past few years. And it gets worse and worse. We had a bunch of hits in '04, and '05 season took out what '04 didn't. We were fortunate not to get katrina at her worst...but then we had that late season Wilma direct hit here and that really messed things up. I think between the two I missed 3 weeks of school.

[Kokopeli]

If I sound perturbed...I'm not, really...I'm just trying now to hit that 1000 mark as fast as possible. :yesnod:

I'll bet you a cup of coffee (or a soda if I win) that I get to 500 before you get to 1000...

This post makes #462.

[schrackman]

it starts making evil faces at you. I call the first pic "fire demon." See if you can find the evil face.

I had thought they beat this fire back away from the ridge but it is still roaring. Temps are 104 here in Banning (expected to reach 106 tomorrow), and I am sure much higher behind the ridge.

Second shot is from a roadcut up in the mountains across the pass. I was probably up around 4000 feet coming down. Yes, I was driving when I snapped it. Fortunately no one was behind or in front of me, so I was able to slow about 5 mph.

Third shot is looking at it from my house!

Last shot was up around 4700 feet, and again taken from the mountains across the pass.

All shots made in manual in mid-day sunlight, Digital Rebel + Sigma 28-80mm & Hoya Polarizer.

[schrackman]

I'll bet you a cup of coffee (or a soda if I win) that I get to 500 before you get to 1000...

This post makes #462.

You're on! But let's make it rootbeer floats! It's summertime, you know.

Besides, if I win that'll give me the extra incentive to make L.A., hehe.

[schrackman]

Here's a story on the fire: http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles...news/news1.txt

[Kokopeli]

You're on! But let's make it rootbeer floats! It's summertime, you know.

Besides, if I win that'll give me the extra incentive to make L.A., hehe.

Rootbeer floats (or another frosty, ice cream based beverage) in LA.. Works for me!

May the best photog win!

[Kokopeli]

it starts making evil faces at you. I call the first pic "fire demon." See if you can find the evil face.

Found the face, and what an evil scowl it has!

I was listening to some news reports tonight and one was interviewing one of the firemen working on that blaze. He mentioned that at some points there are walls of fire in excess of 100 feet high.. I can't begin to fathom an incendiary beast of that magnitude.

Also, when the fire merged with a smaller blaze, the two combined have burned over 60,000 acres. Another somewhat frghtening bit of info regarding the blaze is that fire crews are concerned about the town of Big Bear. Apparently there's little more than dead trees between the town and the fire. I'd hate to see that place (or any other for that matter) burn.. It's such a quaint community..

Anyway, great shots Ray. Thanks for keeping us up to date.

I'm looking forward to seeing you in a month.

[schrackman]

Brian, last night when I was showing the pic to my wife and niece, we began to actually see three different faces. Two looked like evil faces, and the other one like a gorilla, lol.

But seriously, yes they are reporting 100 foot flames!!! Dear Lord! Not only that, lightning is beginning to strike, the wind has kicked up, and at least here in Banning it is expected to reach temps of 105º. I can't imagine what it will be like out there where it is normally HOTTER than here.

[Kokopeli]

But seriously, yes they are reporting 100 foot flames!!! Dear Lord! Not only that, lightning is beginning to strike, the wind has kicked up, and at least here in Banning it is expected to reach temps of 105º. I can't imagine what it will be like out there where it is normally HOTTER than here.

No kidding.. I spent some time as a fireman when I lived in AL and I can't even begin to comprehend what these guys are up against..

[schrackman]

Oh wow, I just found another face. Take a look at the picture of my house, and tell me you don't see a face coming out of the left side of the cloud. Looks like it kinda has it's mouth open.

[Kokopeli]

I think you've been inhaling too much of that smoke...

[schrackman]

lol...seriously, look at it. It looks like it could be Bart Simpson or something...okay, maybe I'd better step inside now.

I think you've been inhaling too much of that smoke...

[Kokopeli]

I can see what appears to be the profile of either a Samoan or a sumo werstler.. Can't decide which.

[schrackman]

Now why did you go let me win, Brian? I'm gonna order the biggest Frostie there is! LOL

Oh, well I guess I have to show up now to get it, don't I?