California wild fires

I know we have a few Californians and I'm sure many have family there, too. How are you coping if affected and what are you thoughts in general about this?

I live around 3 hours away from the Chico fire and I can see the smoke from here.. The air quality is super bad. It's pretty crazy and one of my close family friends live in Sacramento which is about 1 hour and 30 mins away from the fire and it's pretty crazy even over there. Some companies are closed in Sac which means it's pretty bad. In general, I think it's horrible and hope we can put out the fires soon. 44 confirmed dead and over 200 missing.. Wish this could end soon!

I believe they're expecting rain by next week(That's all I've been getting for the past few days.). Here's to hoping. The thing that gets me is, there are people who've tried to stay DESPITE there being an inferno at their literal back yard. No possession is important enough to risk your life or the lives of those who would likely try to rescue you.

@yaasshat We see idiots on this side of the country do that with hurricanes too. They think not being able to get home for a while is somehow better than being stuck in a completely destroyed and likely flooded home with no aid for a while. And don't even get me started on the morons that are out surfing in the last hours before the storm arrives. They should be thrown in jail for endangering the lives of the people that have to risk their lives to bring their stupid asses to safety.

I lived right where the Rim Fire was and that was scary, when the Ventura fire started I was afraid for my family down there, saw the scars left behind from it. Honestly, it’s sketchy just seeing the fire getting closer and closer to your home, and just seeing ash land on your car and the constant smoky days reminds you the dangers of these fires.

Be careful guys. Since the forest management funding has been cut at the federal level (You know, the guys already managing 95% of the fires), it may be very well that your safety will be in your hands. Like Yasshat said, prioritize the safety of you and your families above all else. In fact, if you do have some things you would prefer to salvage, make sure you pre-pack such belongings for the duration of the time you're in or near a red zone. I would prioritize survival gear in case you find yourselves on the road. Be vigilant, be informed, be safe, and be prepared.