Fires in California...

[ByGod'sGrace]

With the Camp Fire and the new fire that is in Malibu...it is just horrifying to see the photos! I was with my parents in Redding, California, when we evacuated during the Carr Fire; I will never forget the feeling of driving one of the getaway cars with so much traffic and the sight of the fire on the mountain like the apocalypse. It breaks my heart to see the increase in devastation and loss and sorrow! This is nothing compared to what is coming, and I keep wondering how much longer...I know God is waiting for the full number to come in before the rapture. I see the rapture as a great hope, but other Christians keep telling me that the rapture isn't real and Revelations is just symbolic and not that important; I'm just wondering how they can believe that with literal proof in the Bible of God keeping His promises. As sad as things are getting, the only thing I can cling to is to have faith and hope in God's promises. I am very glad this forum exists, because it is very difficult to find Christians who believe in the rapture.

 

[mattfivefour]

 

[Everlasting Life]

 

[Joe B]

In prayer for all of those who are and will be affected by these terribly destructive fires.

 

[SonSeeker]

I see the rapture as a great hope, but other Christians keep telling me that the rapture isn't real and Revelations is just symbolic and not that important; I'm just wondering how they can believe that with literal proof in the Bible of God keeping His promises. As sad as things are getting, the only thing I can cling to is to have faith and hope in God's promises. I am very glad this forum exists, because it is very difficult to find Christians who believe in the rapture.

Couldn't agree more, ByGod'sGrace! I'm sure back in the day, that no one believed the prophecy that Israel would become a country again in one day. Yet it happened in 1948! Sooner or later all of God's promises will be fulfilled. The Book of Revelation is a bit difficult to read and understand, but with prayerful study, it will make sense. I have no idea why so many Christians, including pastors, shy away from Revelation. But, I am also very grateful there are at least a couple who are active on this board.

 

[athenasius]

In prayer for all of those who are and will be affected by these terribly destructive fires.

Praying here too. It's terrifying.

 

[ShilohRose]

 

[lightofmylife]

`Very sad for these people, and I heard Martin Sheen and L.A. Marzulli lost their homes. I am sure many more celebrities have lost theirs also.

 

[anath]

so sad

 

[athenasius]

Praying for all those who lost their homes, but even more so for those who lost family or friends in these fires. Putting faces to the losses brings it closer somehow. My heart went out to that woman who was praying to God, committing the family beside her into God's hands as she drove through the flames. She made it out, as she recorded her run for safety complete with the audio of her prayer but so many didn't make it out. Those who loved the Lord are with Him now, safe in His arms. But those who didn't know Christ fell into worse. So sad.

 

[Accepted]

I’m right there with you all, feeling horrified at all the reports, and praying for the Lord to intervene! I grew up in So. California, and have also lived in the San Francisco area and Modesto. I cannot wrap my mind around the horror of seeing wildfires approaching. My youngest son, who is 21, is in L.A. right now, but is flying home tomorrow. I will be very happy to have him out of there right now! Praying for all those affected.

 

[ByGod'sGrace]

I’m right there with you all, feeling horrified at all the reports, and praying for the Lord to intervene! I grew up in So. California, and have also lived in the San Francisco area and Modesto. I cannot wrap my mind around the horror of seeing wildfires approaching. My youngest son, who is 21, is in L.A. right now, but is flying home tomorrow. I will be very happy to have him out of there right now! Praying for all those affected.

Praying for your son and safe travels!!

 

[Kem]

It is horrifying and just a small taste of what is going to transpire during the trib. Praying for all in the path of this monster.

 

[Everlasting Life]

 

[Batfan7]

Can I just say that I'm so glad to see that all the comments on this thread are full of compassion. When I first heard of the celebs (like a Kardashian) losing their homes, I was honestly afraid all I'd hear were people saying things like "they deserved it".

 

[athenasius]

Can I just say that I'm so glad to see that all the comments on this thread are full of compassion. When I first heard of the celebs (like a Kardashian) losing their homes, I was honestly afraid all I'd hear were people saying things like "they deserved it".

I'm grateful as well, they are people too, with a need for the Saviour, and feelings. We all deserve hell apart from Christ's intervention on the Cross on our behalf. Even my worst enemy I wouldn't want to see in such straits or such pain as losing friends and loved ones in such a fire.

And even if they escape, and it's just the home that burns, it's still a devastating loss. Photos, things passed down from long dead loved ones, mementos of a lifetime, art from children long since grown or in some cases, passed away, the contents of a home are not just things which can be replaced always.

My heart goes out to them.

 

[TRex2]

Can I just say that I'm so glad to see that all the comments on this thread are full of compassion. When I first heard of the celebs (like a Kardashian) losing their homes, I was honestly afraid all I'd hear were people saying things like "they deserved it".

I'm grateful as well, they are people too, with a need for the Saviour, and feelings. We all deserve hell apart from Christ's intervention on the Cross on our behalf. Even my worst enemy I wouldn't want to see in such straits or such pain as losing friends and loved ones in such a fire....

Amen. I have to keep reminding myself of that. It doesn't come naturally.

The good news is they are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and are beginning to make predictions about how long until the fires are under control, or out.

The bad news is they are not likely to change the way they mismanage the forests and thus, future fires will continue to get worse.

 

[athenasius]

Amen. I have to keep reminding myself of that. It doesn't come naturally.

The good news is they are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and are beginning to make predictions about how long until the fires are under control, or out.

The bad news is they are not likely to change the way they mismanage the forests and thus, future fires will continue to get worse.

Totally agree!!!!

Forest management depends on a voting public who understands why some trees MUST be culled, why shrubs and undergrowth need to be cleared, and why some back burning needs to happen even with the terrible risk of it getting out of control.

I live in sagebrush and Ponderosa pine territory in BC, we are the northern tip of that Great Sonoran Desert. 2 summers back our govt took a tremendous amount of flack from the public for letting a backburn get out of control.

What really was out of control was all the previous years when ANY fire prevention activity was penalized by the nature loving but not forest aware people who live in the cities and have romantic ideas. The wind was supposed to be calm, but it picked up and turned direction and blew the back burn right up into the trees the forestry ministry was trying to protect. A nearby community and a lot of ranches were evacuated, some cattle were lost. But the very reason they were back burning was to prevent worse fires. It's a risk.

We have lived thru 2 summers back to back where the forests around our mid level cities are on fire, forcing evacuations of places like William's Lake and Cache Creek (a lot of homes of Cache Creek burnt to the ground in the process). Our city of Kamloops was pro active, and spent a lot of city funds on clearing out the underbrush, creating good fire breaks, culling trees so they aren't too close and dead and dying trees aren't kindling. We have done it since the bad fires of 2003 when half the town of Barriere was on fire north of us, and the whole town and area was evacuated. I was in the hospital having surgery at the time, and the smoke was so bad, you could see it in the hospital hallways. The summer this year and last year the smoke is so thick you can't see more than a few blocks from early July to the end of August/mid September.

I really feel for the people down in California, they have it worse in so many ways. Hotter and drier for longer. And a large voting bloc of people who feel that cutting down a tree is akin to murder.

It's not an easy answer because I think the nature lovers in the cities are the ones driving the decisions due to their voting power while local authorities are perhaps tied up in paperwork to try and do anything. And on the TV we saw homes where the trees were just interplanted in between the houses all thru the subdivision that burnt.

And another thing, we have laws now to stop developers putting in a nice new subdivision with only one road in and out. I was sickened to see that people burnt to death trying to drive out. We nearly had that situation here and over in Kelowna in 2003 and that was when some laws got passed that mean any new subdivisions have to have more than one road in and out just in case someone gets stuck and blocks it, in a major fire evac, and so that everyone can be moved quickly out. So desperately important.

Sadly that kind of heavy planting of trees up in amongst the houses, which is good for shade and esthetic purposes--that is a killer. First rule of living in a log cabin zone near the forests in BC back in the early days according to my grandad and dad who did that (no fire truck to help out) you CANNOT plant trees up to the houses. Not unless you want the cabin to burn up when a fire gets moving thru the trees nearby. Keep that fire break.

Knowing that, and helping teach former city people who just moved out to the interface zones to live among the trees is just 2 different things altogether.

And I'm sure not blaming the poor people who lost their homes and lives. Just that I wish there'd be some public education that can save lives and property in future.

BTW our city hasn't had to evacuate anyone in spite of several interface fires every year since we cleaned things up. It's my hope California does the same.

 

[Everlasting Life]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-victims-of-california-wildfire-idUSKCN1NQ18I

CHICO, Calif. (Reuters) - Heavy rains expected on Wednesday in northern California are expected to hinder search teams sifting through ash and rubble for the remains of victims of the deadliest wildfire in the state’s history, as well as bring more misery to evacuees who have yet to find permanent shelter.

As much as nearly eight inches (20 cm) of rain is forecast to fall by Friday in areas around the town of Paradise, a community of nearly 27,000 people 175 miles (280 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco that was largely incinerated by the Camp Fire. The blaze killed at least 81 people and left hundreds missing.

The storm will help firefighters still battling the fire but create more suffering for many residents left homeless by the disaster. Some of the homeless, whose numbers have not been determined, are camping out in parking lots rather than staying in emergency shelters.

Kelly Boyer, who lost his home in Paradise, has been sharing a tent with a friend at an encampment outside a Walmart store in nearby Chico, where overnight low temperatures have fallen to just above freezing.

Boyer has received wooden pallets and plastic tarps donated by local residents to keep his tent off the ground and dry, but he said the rain would still make a mess.

“It’s going to be mud city,” he told Reuters.

Forecasters said the rains, which in some areas are likely to be accompanied by winds of up to 45 miles per hour (72 kph), might also cause rivers of mud and debris to slide down flame-scorched slopes stripped of vegetation. The fire has burned across 153,000 acres (62,000 hectares) of the Sierra foothills.

Mass evacuations since the fire erupted on Nov. 8 have removed most people from harm’s way of any debris flow, according to National Weather Service (NWS) hydrologist Cindy Matthews...

Been ing for these people. Tough deal. Wouldn't it be great if people were sharing the Gospel with one another there? I'm sure people are ready to listen.