Good morning from Whiskey Creek, where for the past two days we’ve been blessed with beautiful magenta-blue skies and enough of a breeze to erase any trace of the sickeningly gray ash that for days covered every square inch of our six-acre slice of heaven in the Mother Lode. Here’s the latest report on the Butte Fire, posted at 8:00 p.m. last evening on our community’s web site, mymotherlode.com:
“The number of homes destroyed from the Butte Fire flames jumped to 365 residences and 261 outbuildings with an additional 26 structures damaged. However, firefighters are making progress as containment hits 55% and the fire’s size sticks to 70,760 acres. Cal Fire Command reports the fire behavior remained minimal during the day on Thursday, which aided firefighters working to expedite re-population. Butte Fire Public Information Officer Hugo Patrino reports on overnight goals, saying, “In terms of fire suppression, the fire itself is not really blazing like it was several days ago but there is still a lot of heat inside the perimeter. We are going to continue working on mopping up around the perimeter and homes…so we can insure that it is safe for evacuees to return home.” Fire officials caution fire areas and surrounding communities will still be filled with plenty of smoke. Additionally, utilities, such as water, sewer and electrical may not be restored for at least a week.
The number of resources have dropped to 4,312 personnel, 413 engines, 54 water tenders, 92 hand crews, and 59 dozers. As for air resources, 10 helicopters and 5 air tankers remain.”
The Butte Fire effected Amador and Calaveras Counties, both of which have historically had higher than average concentrations of CBA members. We are aware of the status of only a few of our members in the fire zone at present. Dick and Joyce Clark, members 2179, have suffered a complete loss of their home in Mountain Ranch. I’m attempting to make contact with Dick and Joyce, with whom Lynn and I have been close friends for more than thirty years, and I’ll share more about them when I have something solid.
You have probably read the Mark Varner Message Board post about Don Denison. If not, here it is…
“Don Denison is ill.
I got this from Bob Thomas:
Hi friends,
Our friend and CBA Honorary Life Member Don Denison is in very ill health. I spoke with him about 15 min. ago and he asked me to get the word out to his friends in the CBA. He thinks he doesn’t have long to live. He is in Tracy hospital right now.
He’s comfortable and they are treating the sepsis. He has congestive heart failure and renal failure and can’t see he said. He was evacuated from his home by his brother with some other help too.
Don has a cell phone and the number is 209-304-5930. I’m not on the CBA message board, so Mark, would you or Rick C spread the word. There is nothing he needs done for him right now. His brother and other help went up to Don’s home earlier today to retrieve some items I believe he wants to give to family.
If you believe in prayer as I do, please pray for Don.
Kindest regards,
Bob Thomas”
This news was from five days ago, and I’m glad to report that Don’s condition has been upgraded and it looks like he’ll pull through. However, Don’s brother reports that at this point the family has not been able to get word on whether the Butte Fire took or spared Don’s home. Some of you will remember Daisy, Don and Suzanne’s beloved yellow Lab. Daisy was taken to a shelter in Plymouth and we were asked to make certain she’s cared for. At this point, it appears that my wife, Lynn, has placed the girl in a long-term foster care home where she’ll remain until Don is back on his feet.
And then there’s the old mountain man hisself, JD Rhynes. It took a couple days to track him down. A call to the Pipe Fitters Union Hall in Modesto finally revealed that his son, Garret, evacuated him out of his West Point cabin and he’s been staying with a friend at a lower elevation. JD finally called here yesterday to report in; he has not yet learned the fate of his home, but when we hear something, we’ll let you know.
Like I said, we’ve got a big bunch of members who live up in the fire-ravaged part of the Gold Country. Please, if you know of, or learn of, the status of any of our bluegrass community up in that area and pass it along to me I promise to get the information out and about. Now more than ever we need to stand together with our bluegrass family.