California is Burning

[glatt]

Yeah. My brother lives in the valley between Chico and Paradise.

I kept watching his dot on "find my friends" yesterday and he wasn't evacuating when the mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the districts surrounding him a mile to the north, East, and South. Turns out his zone was a voluntary evacuation. Different government rules his valley so the orders were not consistent.

So I texted him and told him to hurry up and get out. The fire was still a few miles away at that point, but heading generally in his direction.

Took an hour or two but he and his wife finally got out. They were taking their time getting the things that were important to them and packing them in the car.

I watched the fire line advance towards and across their house today thanks to the MODIS satellite imagery that nobody but me seems to know about.

He and his wife are remarkably calm about it all. They are staying at a hotel near the coast and hope they have a home to return to. It doesn't look likely.