Brevard County Fires - up close & personal......

This information below was written by Jean.......


Arlette wanted our personal account of the fires in Bayside Lakes where Jeff and I live. When I think back on Monday, I break out in a sweat (and it's not a hot flash!!). It was so surreal to see these big, dark plumes of smoke (which appeared to be in the distance) pop up on one side and then another until we were surrounded on all sides. Even when my neighbor and I were hooking up garden hoses to wet down the roof, because ashes had started raining down, it still didn't seem real. I knew I needed to gather up our valuables and prepare to evacuate, but honestly, I just went numb. If I couldn't take everything with me, I didn't want to take anything at all, so I just stood and cried. As we watched outside, Jeff spotted a dark puff of smoke pop up across the street and told me that one was real close. The next thing you know, it is an all out blaze jumping the four lane street onto our side just behind the house. We stood helpless and watched the fire burn with no firetruck responding (they were fighting too many other fires). Still, across the street, the fire followed a tree line until it was directly across from the house. If not for recent construction, the trees would have been up to the edge of the street and I can only fear what would have happened. It brought to mind a line from a Joni Mitchell song---"they paved paradise to put up a parking lot"---and I say---"thank god they did". The fire burned itself out and we are fine but I feel so for those who lost everything and many did. I can't even imagine such and don't want to ever again.