For my wife and I the realization of imminent evacuation came slowly the morning of November 8, 2018.
I remember checking my phone for non-existent PG&E updates. Then, my wife had the good sense to suggest tuning to KPAY. My trusty transistor radio became a Godsend and the urgency in the familiar on-air voices told us it was time to pack a few things and go. And go we did … along with two dogs, three cats, and four foster kittens in tow.
Driving in a caravan towards Neal Road my wife stopped in front of a house two doors down. “The older lady who lives here might need help,” she explained. “Let’s check on her.” Her compassion and good sense overruled my panic to keep moving. Our elderly neighbor explained she’d packed up her car, but now frozen in fear didn’t know what to do next. Turning the ignition I realized her battery was dead. I rummaged through my truck for jumper cables. We prayed. The car came to life and the lady followed us to Neal Road towards Skyway. A short distance ahead a firefighter redirected us in the opposite direction. As we headed down Neal Road, our elderly neighbor kept going towards Skyway.
In the end, her home and ours were burned to the ground. But we were glad to hear she’d made it safely to relatives in Orland. Amidst the chaos, loss and destruction, “all safe” sure sounded good.
