Fires
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- Steve Simmons
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Re: Fires
There are a lot of car guys affected by this, and some of them are still evacuated. We got the evacuation orders late last night and got to work getting the cars to a nearby school parking lot. The fire was too close for comfort considering the 60MPH winds blowing toward us, but it burned through the hills quickly so that we were able to get the cars back a few hours later. Ignoring the evacuation orders, we spent the night with two other residents (one a firefighter) guarding the neighborhood against embers, with the last car loaded and ready to go. We're still in a mandatory evacuation, but are at home as are most people in the area now.
Here is the view from our street at around 2:30 AM Friday morning...
It pained me to leave the cars unguarded and out in the open with ash falling. But this is where they lived until later in the morning. The cars that weren't running had to stay behind and take their chances.
Oddly, the cars with the most ash inside them were the two coupes. I assume the wind kept ash from settling on open surfaces, but when it blew in a vent or poorly sealed window that it had no way to get back out. Overall they weren't too bad off and once the ash stops falling I'll wash them off thoroughly. You just don't want to get the ash wet unless you're prepared to get it all off!
Here is the view from our street at around 2:30 AM Friday morning...
It pained me to leave the cars unguarded and out in the open with ash falling. But this is where they lived until later in the morning. The cars that weren't running had to stay behind and take their chances.
Oddly, the cars with the most ash inside them were the two coupes. I assume the wind kept ash from settling on open surfaces, but when it blew in a vent or poorly sealed window that it had no way to get back out. Overall they weren't too bad off and once the ash stops falling I'll wash them off thoroughly. You just don't want to get the ash wet unless you're prepared to get it all off!
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Re: Fires
Hi Steve,
Be safe and good to hear that your home and cars are safe so far.
From experience use an air source to blow the ash off the cars before washing them. Once the ash is wet it tends to stick and a lot of it becomes caustic and can even scratch and etch the surface and finish on a car or anything else. I know this from having owned a detail shop and detailing / cleaning a lot of vehicles after a fire when I had the business. This is the one time that you should use a dish washing soap like dawn to wash the surface the first time and then a car wash soap followed by a good waxing of your preferred auto wax / polish to preserve the top finish of the vehicle after cleaning it.
Take care and be safe.
Be safe and good to hear that your home and cars are safe so far.
From experience use an air source to blow the ash off the cars before washing them. Once the ash is wet it tends to stick and a lot of it becomes caustic and can even scratch and etch the surface and finish on a car or anything else. I know this from having owned a detail shop and detailing / cleaning a lot of vehicles after a fire when I had the business. This is the one time that you should use a dish washing soap like dawn to wash the surface the first time and then a car wash soap followed by a good waxing of your preferred auto wax / polish to preserve the top finish of the vehicle after cleaning it.
Take care and be safe.
Martin Keller
Ventura, Ca.
Ventura, Ca.
- VWNate1
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Fires
I was told The Rock Store had burned, it didn't ~ another place nearby is gone and folks are spreading the erroneous news .
I hope everyone here is O.K. and remembers that smoke is nasty dust that will settle in your lungs and never get out, be careful .
I hope everyone here is O.K. and remembers that smoke is nasty dust that will settle in your lungs and never get out, be careful .
-Nate
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Re: Fires
My elderly parents live on a hill about a mile from Steve. We evacuated them in the middle of the night, along with their Corvette. The fire burned right up to their property line, but spared their house and the rest of the street. A few house up higher on the hill were not so lucky.
We were under evac orders in Newbury Park also, first from the Hill Fire, then from the Woolsey fire. Fortunately our place was never in serious danger, this time.
We were under evac orders in Newbury Park also, first from the Hill Fire, then from the Woolsey fire. Fortunately our place was never in serious danger, this time.
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Re: Fires
We live on the coast, about half way between the Camp fire and the one down south.
There is no where we can go to get relief from the officially unhealthy air.
Our windows have been closed since the start of the fires.
It doesn't help, but we are both respiratory patients.
My CPAP machine has to have filter changes daily.
There is no where we can go to get relief from the officially unhealthy air.
Our windows have been closed since the start of the fires.
It doesn't help, but we are both respiratory patients.
My CPAP machine has to have filter changes daily.
- drtombellows
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Re: Fires
I am believing that due to the fire, there will NOT be a Black Friday outing this year, at least from Malibu. We could go up from La Canada if we wanted or from Santa Clarita, but that would take a new route planning. Please let us all know at this last minute.
- drtombellows
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Re: Fires
I forgot to say that I am glad to hear that no one lost anything and no one was injured. That is why I posted about a run for Black Friday.