Harmony Grove Fire

A fire started by a metal weed eater consumed a total of 3 acres near our home. At about 2:30 PM we began to smell smoke in the air. We rushed outside to see the hill adjacent to ours engulfed in smoke. I took the first picture ( see first photo ) before we decided to evacuate. We drove all the way up to the side of a mountain. We watched in amazement as the firemen put out the last flames. I took out the binoculars and faced my camera lens through them to get a in-depth look at the charred area ( see second photo ). I also noticed that a large flock of birds were flying near us, so I decided to take a picture of them ( see third photo ). After we realized the fire was out and we were safe from harm and smoke we returned home.

I began to think it's just a matter of time until another fire threatens our house. There is not much we can do to prevent a fire from starting, but there is a lot we can do to weaken it's effects.

First, clear away as much brush in your yard as possible. I know this many be a great ordeal for some homes, especially ours, but anything counts.

Second, always be prepared to evacuate. You never know when something much happen. The best way to be safe is to be prepared.

Third, own smoke masks. The greatest killer in a fire situation is the smoke it produces. Normal dust masks do help, but they don't prevent most of the toxic gasses produced in a fire. Also they are likely to become over loaded by the smoke particles in the air. A way to prevent smoke inhalation is to wet a towel and wrap it around your face. This can be troublesome because you have to keep holding it. The best solution is a professional smoke mask. These masks can be expensive, but it's a worth while investment.

Read more about the fire here!
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/escondido/article_754dab2e-80a2-11df-adb5-001cc4c03286.html

-Timothy 14