CA Fires

Well, lets hope they get the rest of these fires under control soon, so that the damage assessment can begin. Then we might be able to help.

Weather is cooperating, at least. Nice cool damp air here. We actually opened our doors today. It's still kind of "smoggy" feeling - which we aren't used to! - but not too bad. Hard to believe there is still fire out there raging somewhere. At least the firefighters should be getting some rest by now.

I checked out the links you suggested regarding the gardening centers and the Katrina thread. Thank you so much for the links. About that buddy system, do you think that it would be something to put into place or is that something that would not work right now? The horticulteral/garden clubs look like they would be excellent contacts and would know of good places that could be distribution areas like Shari suggested.

Have been flipping through some of the Katrina posts. It is amazing (not really, kind of what I expect from folks on DG, but still----) how people banded together and helped friends through that crisis. I had not thought about things like pots, gardening tools and the like. I wonder how many merchants would be in a holiday "giving mood" here. After all it is the end of the season and they are trying to clear things out. I will check around the garden centers up here and see if they will give me a deal on durable goods like pots and fertilizer if I explain what it is for.

Ok- great!

First, we'll need some volunteers:

1) A person who has the time to constantly be updating the "check-in thread"
2) A person to be the plant coordinator- this person can feel free to delegate to other volunteers to help contact companies and organizations, but we need one central "go-to person"
3) VERY IMPORTANT- a person to supply Dave with the zip codes of all affected areas. Dave will then dmail/email all of the potentially affected subscribers so that they can check in.

Once we get these details set up, we'll set up the forum, blast out the dmails, and start taking "buddy" volunteers, as well as donations, should they be needed.

As we found in Katrina, in the event of really bad news, our people won't need plants for a long time...they will need basics. During Katrina, hundreds of care boxes were sent out, and funds were given to purchase everything from beds, clothes, tools, pillows, books, and everything in-between.

Trish

I'm so proud to be able to claim membership with this group.

Thank you, Trish


LouC

This message was edited Oct 27, 2007 10:07 AM

Thank you Islandshari for your Heartfelt efforts to get this started and Thank you Trish and Admin. for implementing it!

I would love to have the chance to repay some of the kindness that was shown during Katrina.
No suggestions, but I will keep an active eye on the thread

Trish and Shari, I happened to think of a couple of things. Here they have an internet group called freecycle. Kind of like craig's list but without the cost involved. I can post on that and see what comes up. If other people have that sort of thing they could do that too.

Also regarding shipping perhaps we could contact UPS and Fedex. I bet they would like the publicity they would get for free or reduced shipping. I was thinking about talking to my UPS rep at work to see if they have some kind of program already in place. I have a feeling that if that is not the case I could get my employer to help out. We just had a "helping hands" day here at work where the entire office closed two hours early to help out at a local food bank and my boss actually paid us for our time! He is a great person to work for. Started the business about five years ago with three people and now we are in the top 500 companies as far as growth with offices in several different states. He still comes in to work in shorts and flip flops though.

Let me know if you want me to approach UPS or if you would like to have someone else do that. Just thought that since I already know them they might be more receptive. But would rather work within your plans and start out organized. :^)

I knew Gardeners were friendly, wonderful, understanding people, but boy, you folks are much more than that, please let someone in UK know if we can help out also, postage and plants could be a major stickler, we have to consider things like customs etc, but perhaps we could gather other practical things that will be of value to the folks over the pond, Maybe Trish from the Admin can tell us what kind of practical help would be received in the manner meant, hope so, if we all do just a little bit, then it will flourish and grow, hope so, good luck, will keep a watch on the thread, Shari, love you as always, your a super trooper, the world is a much better place with folks like you in it. good luck. WeeNel.

thats a good idea about contacting master gardeners. I am in the roses society and so if any one wants to do anything with rose let me know... you know I wasnt even thinking of the people with just a little damage.

I just love the wiedners she and her daughter are so nice and l love how they are so hands on at there nursery... I am sure that the local nurserys are probably getting involved. every time I go shoping at any big grocery store they are asking every person for donations as they go through the line.

tetleytuna- There wasn't any assistance for us during Katrina, but it certainly doesn't hurt to try! I'd appreciate your taking the lead on that.

I'll do whatever is needed. Trish, you just tell me where you want me.

Something we may need to consider, and the CA folks can let us know about this, but CA has pretty strict regulations about what plant material can be shipped across state lines.

We need to make sure we are within the law when it comes to plants and seeds, but as Trish said, folks are going to be needing much more than plants for a little while.

I'll be glad to be a "buddy" for this cause.....or anything that is in my power to do. My brain doesn't work as well as it did when I was a "skip-chaser"!! Jo

Trish, will approach both UPS and my employer on Monday. :^)

DGers are MOST wonderful! I am amazed at the outpouring of support and desire to help.

I heard on the news that one of the biggest exports affected during these fires here in San Diego (this time) will be ornamental plants! That is largely due to the fact that areas like Fallbrook CA, (where many of our fellow DGers live) has over 50 plant nurseries and was was hit hard. This is going to have an impact far outside of San Diego.

In the 2004 fire even though I didn't loose my home, my neighbors did and EVERY plant, tree and flower in my yard as well as my grass was fried to a black crisp.

Then an amazing thing happened. In about 3-4 months, my trees started to show signs of life. They eventually recovered -- although it took a long time. I did have to replace everything except the trees and a few bushes, but my insurance paid to replace them.

Nature has a way ... Like -- my neighbor an acacia tree that burned in that fire and there are now acacia trees EVERYWHERE in the canyon. The fire spread the seeds and provided nutrients that helped the little guys to grow.

I'm not trying to suggest that donations something wouldn't be good. I think it's a great idea and I'm in. I just wanted to share the experience as an idea of what folks might be going through this time.

Trish, I am not centrally located, but have plenty of room to accept packages for the North County areas (we'll define those later). We are right off a highway (76) that connects to the two major freeways in SD (5 and 15). If that helps, I'll do what I can. San Diego is a big county and traffic can be a nightmare, so if we have regional drop-off points, it might be easier to move things around at times.

I stopped by to see wcgypsy this morning and she is watching for the list of Fallbrook residents who lost everything.

TLeaves, that's interesting. I didn't know if the insurance companies would pay for everything in the garden, or just hardscape. I guess it depends on your policy. We had a very hard time getting insurance here, and it only covers the house and outbuildings.

This message was edited Oct 27, 2007 12:26 PM

I have located a list (pdf) of homes destroyed/damaged in the fires, with zip codes. Will that help? Where do I send it?

Should have said, this is for unincorporated areas. I'm sure it will be updated, but the zip codes will probably not change much.

This message was edited Oct 27, 2007 12:52 PM

I'm going to do the stream of consciousness thing again, although I'm fearful of how I'll sound. Bear in mind this is merely "thinking aloud" and that I am neither an expert nor a skeptic.

I have experienced losing home and garden to a natural disaster. Right at first, the garden is the last thing on one's mind. I recall the first words from the "outside" when we were rescued, "Is everyone accounted for?" and "Are there any injuries?" We knew then the devastation must have been terrific.

Our disaster happened in May. We salvaged what we could in the next several weeks, and stored those things at various friends' homes and barns. The focus was on where to live in the meantime and on making a decision about what to do permanently.

When the new house was done in March the following year, many other homes were being finished at the same time. One organization offered large trees, but put certain parameters on them such as one per home, choose from this list, etc. The homes that were just being started missed out. In the fall of that year, a local nursery offered their leftovers on a truck downtown for us. None of ours lived, as they were the leftovers a little late in the year. Focus that first year in the new home was on gathering up what had been stored for a year, sorting through it, and figuring out what we still had for interior furnishings and what was still needed.

By the time we were prepared to focus on the garden, we had already lost two growing seasons, and the folks with good intentions were long gone.

Sorry to bore you with my story, but it lends credibility to my points, I think: Not everyone will be in the same state of loss. Some will make repairs to the house, and be ready to focus on the outdoors very soon. Some will be mourning the loss of loved ones and pets, eventually bemoaning property loss, and someday be in a position to focus on the garden. And then there's everyone in between.

Two or three years from now, some gardeners in the California fires will, for the first time, be ready for gifts of plants and gift certificates to nurseries. (Which maybe takes us back to Katrina victims.) Where will we be then?

I'm going to sign off here now. I couldn't follow the Katrina tragedy and did nothing to help, not for lack of compassion, but it was too fresh after our own problem, and Post-Tramatic Stress is a very real thing. I hope I offered some perspective.

An additional note regarding insurance, it depends on two things: 1) How much of the area was insured by the company you happen to insure with and 2) what your policy says.

You guys are all so very fantastic! Trish - thank you so much for all that you and Dave do, and now this as well! It is such an honor and privledge to be associated with such a wonderful, selfless group of people. Gives me hope when I get frustrated from watching the news.

I feel terrible saying this, since I suggested it in the beginning, but I can't really volunteer for one of the coordinator spots, much as I want to. I'm going to be away from my computer for about a month. Don't think starting something and then leaving it to others is a good idea. Please don't think that I am shirking or anything...I will send/do anything that I can until I leave. Can't be an officer, but a willing foot soldier I will happily be.

Ann - Great ideas! Good luck!

TLeaves - in so many places fire is a part of the life cycle that Nature built in for these plants....one of the reasons that the dreaded "controlled burn" is generally encouraged by CA Native firefighters, but usually discouraged by well meaning ecology groups...they just don't understand. Much will come back - stronger than ever....but for some that won't be the case, and that's where we can help.
We do need to be careful though as Melody said and Kathleen has mentioned before about what plants we send. Maybe one more volunteer to coordinate lists of suggested versus requested plants, Trish?

Lori - some very good points. I knew there was going to be a time lapse....that's why I kept counseling patience...but I didn't realize that it would be so long. Obviously we need to be in for the long haul...

I would hate to think that through sheer enthusiasm we ended up not helping the ones that will need it the most - down the road.

We need to realize that some of our friends won't need anything for quite some time, and keep each other "up" for helping over time. Shouldn't be hard...this is a smart and generous group of folks.

Melody had a good point about sending plants to CA, our Ag department is very picky about things. I'm sure people trade cuttings "under the radar" all the time, but it's a lot harder to try and do things properly. There are a number of mail order nurseries who won't ship to CA because it's too much trouble or expense to get the proper certificates and things. Sending things within CA is easier so hopefully some people who were in areas of CA that weren't hit by the fires can help out, but unfortunately a decent chunk of the Bay Area and and probably elsewhere as well are under quarantine for the Light Brown Apple Moth so even though we could normally send plants with no problem we can't now unless the quarantine is lifted.

Seeds are easier to send, you don't need all the certificates and things, and even for those of us in quarantine areas seeds are still OK to send, so that may be the way to go. Or collect money to buy gift certificates for local nurseries.

Liz, all good points. I was thinking too that for folks with long range needs, some things might be grown to order, seeds collected for later distribution, etc.

We're not thinking here about re-greening California, but supplying hope and relief to folks who have had a bad time. If they are aware of people thinking about them, I think that will count for a lot. I know it would for me.

Whew! I'm back - I think just writing all that got me a little tense and emotional.

Yes, wanted people to know about the long haul. Thanks, Shari.

We tend to focus on plants, because that's our nature at this site, but there are the things that go with plants too. Down the line don't forget little things like hardware. Shovels, containers, hoses, sprinklers (maybe everyone has underground there, I don't know), gloves, even stakes and markers can all add up to a huge amount of money when you start with not one thing.

I've been watching the fire thread in the CA Gardening forum. Everyone is accounted for that we know of, right?

I came into this thread late, and won't be able to read the entire thread. I was a buddy for Hurricane Katrina, and am volunteering to do so for California friends.

I've been reading this thread with interest. I was thinking about what plants I might be able to contribute, when I happened to remember that California is pretty strick about what plants, etc. can be shipped into the state, so it would probably be best to find nuseries/garden centers already in CA.

We could contribute to a fund & perhaps the people needing the help with plants could submit a letter for help.

Just an idea.
Jan in Central Illinois who lived in So. CA for 6 1/2 years & whose oldest daughter lives between Long Beach & LA & a brother in Glendora.

McGlory, I believe that you are right about the "long haul" thing. I know that the folks on DG will stick by you regarding plants and such for whenever you need them be it this month or next year.

You have pointed out that most people have a short attention span and so we may want to act regarding durable goods as soon as we can. We have a lot of very good planners and organizers here and I am sure somehow we can figure it out so that we give what it is needed when it is needed. That way those who have gone through this do not have the added stress of trying to deal with too much right now.

I just had a thought. How about growing things for plant sales in your area, then contributing to a fund for hardware, etc.? That takes care of import restrictions and such. Thoughts?

I think an actual "fund" is a great idea. As McGlory pointed out, a lot of people will not know what their true needs are for a while. A fund takes up no space, does not die and actually continues to grow. I just do not know how to distribute it to the people that need it.

Fund sounds good to me, too. That way we could keep contributing to it as we got extra cash.

That's the point of the two pronged approach-

1) anyone can contribute to a general fund. Contribute as you can without worry as to who needs what.
2) one "buddy" per "victim". The buddy's job is to be in contact with the person to be on top of the needs and to organize care packages, and request specific funds as needed.

I'm willing to be a buddy.

My guess is that Lowes and Home Depot gift cards might be the most useful for the time being. I remember that the Katrina folks really appreciated those.

Great! I will try to contact both the lowes and home depot here and see if they have anything in place for dealing with these types of things. Maybe a discount if you purchase a card specifically for CA or something.

I think this thread is a great idea! I agree with the idea of immediate and prolonged help. A fund would be very helpful for a lot of people.
If anyone knows of a family that lost a house, my husband and I have been collecting things to donate to them. My DH has been wanting flat screen tv's for a while, so we went and bought them this week so we could donate our two used ones. I couldn't think of being stuck in an apt. waiting for the insurance co. with nothing to help entertain the kiddies! We have also gone thru closets of all we can and taking up a collection at work for household items. We have a lot of people donating things, not funds. So, as the evac centers close and people are moved into apts. please let me know - dmail- if you know of someone that could use this immediate help.
I will follow this thread which is much more organized than I could ever be, to help more in the future. I would love to be a buddy. But again, if anyone knows of a family right now, let us know.
- Karen

The lady whos stand I go to every weekend at the scripps ranch farmers market orchard was destroyed by the fire. 1/3 avacados were lost and most of her fruit trees. she lost her barn to. amazingly enough her chicken coop and chickens survived and her house. This is one instance of someone whoes land is suffering fire damage. but if any one wants to contact her family . a lot of people were the fire burned through lost trees...

myorchard@cox.net
is the email
and the names are noriko and lindsey

Did I understand correctly that all of our subscribed members have currently been heard from?

Do we not need to send out an email to all of them?

Well, all of us yappy ones have been heard from. :-)

Seriously, I have seen messages from those I've met at the round-ups, but it seems there must be more. What about Orange County, Los Angeles areas? I would hate to miss someone and find out later.

I don't know of anyone who hasn't chimed in yet somewhere, but then, I don't know all the CA subscribers.

I just stumbled on this tread looking for something else, I was born and raise in Pasadena Calif, and lived in San Diego for 10 years and on the east coast for 2 before moving here. When on the east coast I had a house fire I lost everything, including my husband. I never thought of the kindness that the town I live in would bring me. And reading this tread brought it all to home after 20 years. I never thought about plants at that time we where just remodeling the house. The only things that I needed, was love from all those people that help me get back on my feet. and it came from miles around. from people I never knew.

Mcglory, You got it right, it take time, allot of time, to refocus your life.

Also I think this should be also entered in all forums so all DGers can see it, I notice that there where no PNW members Which I am one in this post.

I know the plant laws for Calif. and I have got plants across the state line they don't check this way any more. I'm planing a trip next summer to see my mother in Palmdale, If all works out I would be happy to take some seedlings from PNW Gardner's, as long as they are not to big, and are native to the area. And I could have someone transfer them from there.

What about a forum called "DG'ers Relief fund " ?

another PNW'er who would be happy to help, I'll keep my eyes on this thread.