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House Fire

This is all that was left the next morning after a fire that burned this home in Portola Valley, California. Fortunately the family escaped unharmed, but their home and automobiles are a total loss.
The situation could have been much worse were it not for the timely action of the Woodside Fire Department, who controlled the blaze.

There was no wind that night.
Otherwise this fire might not have been contained to the structure.
The wooded hillside location could have wrought peril if there had been wind.
Fortunately on this balmy night there was none.
The house burned so fast that it was a total loss. Fortunately the family escaped unharmed, but they lost everything. 20110924-_DSC8976-1.jpg
Total Loss

The house burned so fast that it was a total loss.
Fortunately the family escaped unharmed, but they lost everything.

20110924-_DSC8976-1.jpg

 The fire truck remains to control and abate any residual fire, but the house is totally destroyed. The family cars are just skeletons now, at rest in their new open air tomb. 20110924-_DSC8983-6.jpg
The Aftermath

The fire truck remains to control and abate any residual fire, but the house is totally destroyed.
The family cars are just skeletons now, at rest in their new "open air" tomb.

20110924-_DSC8983-6.jpg

 Like a snake the fire hose carries needed water to control the blaze and any flare ups that might ensue. 20110924-_DSC8982-5.jpg
Fire Hose

Like a snake the fire hose carries needed water to control the blaze and any flare ups that might ensue.

20110924-_DSC8982-5.jpg

 It's been a long night. The fire is out, but a family's life is totally wiped out. The burned shell of their home is all that remains. 20110924-_DSC8977-2.jpg
Mopping Up

It's been a long night.
The fire is out, but a family's life is totally wiped out.
The burned shell of their home is all that remains.

20110924-_DSC8977-2.jpg
How could such destruction have eluded the vegetation that surrounds this home? Fast work by the Woodside Fire Dept. helped, but the calm of a still night without any breezes was instrumental in limiting the damage. In this hilly, wooded location a wild fire and its embers can easily spread. 20110924-_DSC8980-4.jpg
Singed Vegetation and a Mighty Oak

How could such destruction have eluded the vegetation that surrounds this home?
Fast work by the Woodside Fire Dept. helped, but the calm of a still night without any breezes was instrumental in limiting the damage.

In this hilly, wooded location a wild fire and its embers can easily spread.

20110924-_DSC8980-4.jpg

 Containment in progress, but it is still very scary. DSC_3121
Fire off Arastradero, #1

Containment in progress, but it is still very scary.

DSC_3121

Containment in progress. DSC_3147
Fire off Arastradero, #2

Containment in progress.

DSC_3147

comment
Paul Milholland25-Sep-2011 21:47
Always heartbreaking to think about a family losing their home and possessions to a fire.
Jack Hoying25-Sep-2011 14:08
What a sad day for that family!
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