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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1993-12-01, Page 27fi our iews the editor n;. Firestorms in the mountains! "We saw our home on TV. It was at that moment that things got a little emotional"" The following is a newsletter 1 received from my sister Beth Mepham recently. Beth is the daughter of Hilda and Harold (Larry) Taylor, a graduate and later a home economics teacher at S.H.D.H.S. Beth and her husband Robert moved from London to L.A. about five years ago due to Robert's occupa- tion. Judy, Beth's oldest daughter and husband Eddie, lave in Valencia California about thirty-five miles from Pacific Palisades Highlands. Brad is their son who now resides in B.C. Beth forgot to mention in her letter her cherished Canadian citizenship papers that 1 am sure she had securely packed in her car. The following is condensed from a newspaper ac- count of the disaster. Jack Taylor, Exeter It is four days now since word first came that there was a fire out of control in the canyons north and west of our home. Eddie has just left and we are busy unpacking the last of the items that we whisked away in the middle of the night last Tuesday. It is interesting what you decide to take with you when fire is threatening to destroy your home and you are being advised to evacuate your home. 'This is the Los Angeles Police Department," said the voice over the bullhorn at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. "We have been advised that fire will reach this area in 2 hours and you are being asked to evacuate." Early Wednesday morning we were still experi- encing strong north-easterly winds which should have pushed the fire away from us, but the fire was eating its way slowly against the wind and there did not seem to be any way of stopping is. During day- light hours, large helicopters with huge water car- rying ability (about 2,400 Imperial;gallons) can make a real assault against the flames. But when dusk falls, the helicopters are normally grounded due to dangerous flying conditions and this really leaves you in the hands of Mother Nature and the firemen on the ground. Beth had been at a meeting at the Tennis Club when she got the word of the fires and she raced home to start packing some items. Judy and Eddie had heard the news also and they called to let us know that they were on their way with their pickup truck to give us a hand. Due to the fires that had burned in the area just a week earlier, we were somewhat prepared with lists of things.to take if we had to evacuate. But now✓in-addition:° our two cars to pack, we had the bonus ofEddte"S truck. The first things that get packed are the photo al- bums and other irreplaceable memories of the past, like the paddle that Bradley carved for Robert when he attend Camp Queen Elizabeth many years ago, and the poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas" which as a family tradition is read each Christmas Eve. Then a few clothes -- it's amazing how much of what is hanging in the closet just does not get packed because you don't really wear them any- more. Then the important papers, computer files and the jewelry. But with Eddies truck sitting out- side. and with the luxury of time, we were able to pack up paintings and CDs, skis and golf clubs. Judy and Eddie left with their load about 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday night but, at that time, an evacua- tion did not seein imminent. We spent the next few hours packing up the cars but mostly we watched the live coverage of the fire as it worked its way to- wards the coast. Around 1 a.m. we triad to catnap a bit but we both found that difficult. And then the bullhorn blared its message and within a few minutes we were in our cars and off to Judy and Eddie's for the,next two days. As it turned out, the message to evacuate was giv- en prematurely and the fire did not threaten Pali- sades Highlands where we live until Wednesday af- ternoon. By then the wind had shifted and was now blowing from the ocean towards our home, though not nearly as strongly as it had been blowing to- wards the ocean the previous day. Until Wednesday noon, the eastern flank of the fire had essentially been two canyons away from us. But as the winds shifted, the fire broke into the canyon immediately next to us (Topanga Canyon) and began to eat is way down the western slope towards the road on the floor of the canyon. We were watching all of this live of TV but felt fairly secure because the fire was still on the opposite side of the canyon from the ridge that separated the fire from the Highlands. The fire fighters had made a stand on Topanga Can- yon Road determined to halt the progress of the blaze. Suddenly the fire leapt the road and started up the east face towards the ridge and towards the High- lands. Channel 4 was carrying live pictures from our canyon at that moment and as they panned .across She canyon and up towards the ridge towards she billowing smoke, we saw our home on TV. it was .at Mat moment that things got a little emotional and a few tears were shed by both of us. But the fire fighting team was ready. The giant helicopter swung into action and pummeled the slopes with thousands of gallons of water for 2 hours. You could see that they were winning but it .was also a race against the clock because dusk was only minutes away and they were to be grounded at 5:20 p.m. (it's funky how certain incidents and times .stick in your memory -- 5:20 p.m.) but they won the -war and the Highlands was safe for the moment. If the fire had kept advancing, we were later told that :there were 3,000 fire fightersand 300 fire trucks poised on the ridge and in the Highlands to do bat- tle with the flames. Clearly this was a battle that the fire fighters did not want to lose. As Wednesday night fell. the winds slowly died down, temperatures dropped and the fire was grad- ually controlled .By Thursday afternoon, we were able to move back into our home. Some of our neighbors never did evacuate but we do not regret our decision to leave when the first announcement came. Sure our clothes need some pressing -- they dont ride well stiffed into the back of a car -- but that is a small price to pay for the peace of mind we had. Unfortunately,. not everyone was as lucky as we were -- 3 people dead, 400 structures destroyed and $500 billion of damage. That helps keep things in perspective as to how lucky we are. They suspect arson. As a reminder to us of just how stubborn one of these fires can be, we are sitting here on Saturday morning putting our thoughts together for this item for the newsletter. As we work away on the comput- er, we can hear the sound of a helicopter as it flies back and forth, picking up water from the reservoir in our area and dropping its load on the hot spots that still remain over in the next canyon some 3 days later. The next challenge for the people in the immediate area of the fires is no undergrowth left to stabilize the soil on the sides of most of the hills. Mud slides are being predicted. NutornCotanty Secret ballot will decide new warden GODER1CH - Reeves and depu- ty reeves from the 26 Huron County municipalities head to the polls on Tuesday as they vote for the 1994 warden. The three candidates are Stanley Township reeve Howard Arm- strong, Ashfield Township reeve Allan Gibson and Marie Hicknell the reeve of McKillop Township. Hicknell did not run in the 1993 election but all three previous years was a candidate and was defeated. This is the first year in several that there has been more than one candidate vying to sit in the war- den's chair. Last year Tom Tomes of Stephen Township was ac- claimed as there were no other can- didates. Tuesday, when the county politi- cians vote, it will be by secret bal- lot. The way in which this will be eJne is as follows: Each member of the county council, there are 32 members, shall have one vote. The names of all those nominated shall be sub- mitted to council listing those nom- inated in alphabetical order. If more than two candidates are seeking the wardenship, as in this particular year, the candidate re- ceiving the fewest number of votes will be dropped after the .first bal- lot. The county clerk and deputy clerk are the scrutineers of the vote and are to be bound to secrecy re- garding the number of votes re- ceived by the candidates. The clerk or presiding officer then reports to council the success- ful candidate, in a manner that does not indicate the individual totals. In otherwords, the public will ob- viously know who the winner is but they will not know what the fi- nal vote count is. Nate owl awe 401, ParmaPacnnn . Tknes-Advoo te, December 1,1993 Back in Time from the archives of the Tunes -Advocate Pape 27 1O Years i!! v • z `< November 30, 1983 - SHAHS math teacher Joanne Young will be dis- ciplined by the Huron Board of Education for attending a nuclear demon- stration in Toronto without permission from the board. By a vote of 13 to two, trustees voted to take disciplinary action, but details were not re- vealed. Exeter trustee King McDonald said he voted against the decision because he felt the proposed action against the teacher was not strong enough. The Exeter PUC set electricity rates for 1984. They will go up by 7.4 percent for residential use and minimum bill charges would go up from $3.50 to $4 a month. For the third time this year Exeter has played host to Germans investi- gating the possibility of locating in this community or establishing work- ing. relations with local firms. Udo and Brigitte Wolkopf who own and operate a full service dental laboratory toured the town. Constable Jim Barnes is investigating a "fowl deed" at the Golden City Restaurant. Four ducks disappeared from the back door. 25 Years Ago November 28, 1968 - Benson Tuckey, president of Guenther They Transport Ltd. has been named president of the Automotive Transport Association of Ontario. The five Ontario Scholars at South Huron District High School this year are Gary Flaxbard, Janet Miller, Joan Pepper, Jim Knox and Bill Jef- frey. Retired public school teacher Helen Jermyn is a candidate for one of the six positions on Exeter council. She is the first woman to ever run for a council post. s0 Yegrs>o December 2, 1943 - Exeter's fifth[ Mood Donor Clinic was very suc- cessful with 106 donors reporting. Of these, 52 were new women donors. The Tag Day for Exeter, England netted a return of 542.91. The can- vassing was done by Exeter Public School students. Mrs. Lloyd Taylor of Exeter was named secretary of the Ontario Feder- ated Women's organization of Ontario at last week's annual meeting in Toronto. Ontario Highways Minister George Doucet has announced that motor vehicle ownerships for 1944 will be available in early January and will be in the form of windshield stickers. The sackers are being issued in lieu of plates, manufacturing of which is prevented by wartime restraints. Wallace Fanner, Calvin Fahner, Jack Ratz and Melvin Gaiser of Credi- ton attended Saturday's NHL game in Toronto with the Boston Bruins supplying the opposition for the Maple Leafs. At the 'Exeter markets, eggs are 46 cents a dozen, butter is 39 cents a pound, hogs sell for $16.65 and wheat is $1.10 a bushel. R.E. Pooley has been re-elected president of the Exeter-Hensall branch of the Canadian Legion. A donaticsn of $447 has been cabled from local Exeter council to Exet- er, England to help that community which was heavily damaged during the blitz. By a recorded vote of 21 to seven, Huron county council ruled against an open season for deer. 100 YeliiiAge December 2, 1893 - The only apparent stir in town on Tfiturday (Thanksgiving) was the -shooting match in connection with the Metropol- itan Hall. Quite a number were present and some good shooting was done. School inspector John E. Tom of Goderich gave the Advocate a friend- ly call yesterday. Student ouncil The student council of St. Patricks school south of Lucan are planning a busy holiday season, including a Christmas day and a kickoff for the new year. Also in the works is a Spirit Week for January. From top are Paula McLaughlin, Shannon Pettypiece (middle left), Julie Jansen, Adam Ryan (bottom left), Marla Barker, and Jeremy O'Shea. e,,,. ;,> >4A. Golden Agers enjoy dinner By Gertie Fleischauer ZURICH - Fifteen Golden Agers met last Thursday at the Town and Country Bowling Lanes for their Christmas dinner catered by Tony and Marlene Bedard. Elizabeth Granger was the door prize winner. Other prizes were won by Mary Reichert and Clara Scott, Bayfield. Gertie Fleischauer conducted a Christmas quiz. Hurondale WI hold meeting HURONDALE - The November meeting of Hurondale Women's In- stitute was at the Christmas deco- rated home, of Marian and Harry Dougall. Roll call was answered by 22 members "something i associate with Christmas". Motto was the origin of Christ- mas symbols with several members explaining these symbols. Pat Bal- lantyne demonstrated "a paper an- gel". Margaret Strang was pleased with the quilt, the institute mem- bers assembled and quilted. Readings and contests about Christmas and the singing of carols the rekindled the Christmas spirit to the members. The fifty cent ex- change of gifts added amusement. The January meeting is 1:15 p.m., January 26, 1994 at the home of Helen and Lee Webber. Roll call to be a verse. song or saying with the word heart included. The Hurondale Womens Institute sends greetings to all this yuletide season. ti HENSALL DISTRICT Available (±O -OPERATIVE at Co -0p Lumber Yards in Zurich and Exeter Weathershield Blown Insulation .,THE EASY WAY TO INSULAT DO-IT-YOURSELF WITH INSULATING e MACHINE evEATHEHSHIEL=> INSULATION • Open Weathershield bag and pour into the insulating macti • Run insulating hose int ur attic and blow to desired R -Value. • Easier & faster to install than fiberglass baits and is non -irritating. Covers like a seamless blanket. R-20 33.ft. 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