Yes, I 'm glad you popped in to comment, shannon! I heard Friday's evacuation for Lake Francis area has now been lifted. That is wonderful news for your mom. Some electricity has been restored to your Mom's area, according to our newspaper. If she gets her power from "The 300 mw Colgate Powerhouse," she has power. (Am I the only person who doesn't know the name of my powerhouse?) Honestly, I am in no danger. It appears to be burning away from me right now. Pray for the firefighters, the homes in imminent danger and of course, the poor wild life. Re: Arson. Shannon! I saw three fires too, in the beginning. Several of us (yahoos in the church parking lot) were talking about it and initially I hedged my bet on arson as well. Then a local fire chief dropped by the look out area to check it out and he though it was an electrical fire because of the three fire plumes. So us yahoos dropped the arson idea and decided we should bet with him. LOL! Maybe the bird triggered the electrical lines to spark in more than one area? Who knows. I am no expert on electrical wires or fires. As of last evening, the fire has spread to 3,260 acres. The weather isn't cooperating but we have an impressive army of firefighters on it. The paper said we have about 1,582 firefighters from around the state, assisted by 96 engines, 13 helicopters, four air tankers and 18 bulldozers. Five firefighters have been injured, but the injuries were considered minor, thank goodness. My niece is still evacuated and the road to her house is closed. We're optimistic because they don't have a lot of fuel around their house, making it easier to defend.

Energy, My response was specific to OP's situation. She'd described her location as SF Bay area and great in summer. I assumed that meant she was not "inland", and if so, most people in the immediate Bay Area don't have AC. I don't have AC, I cool my house by opening the windows in the evening, we have cool nights on all but a few very hot days. Look at today's forecast- SF is 70, Berkeley is 70, inland Walnut Creek, 15 miles from Berkeley, is 86, very inland Sacramento is 97 but still dry heat). People who live inland have AC and just bite the bullet with cost. I'm sure there are many heat pumps in use in rural or remote areas with no natural gas, with people who don't want to use propane or wood stoves. But I know people all over a broad area, and no one I know has one.

The black plastic "tile" has perforations in it. It is buried underground in areas that have excess water and they connect in a network to "county tiles" that criss-cross the area. Original tile (in our area, is made from local clay that was fired in kilns. This is from the turn of the last century. Then they used concrete (and still do for the big "mains). Now it is mostly the black hard plastic perforated tile that is in different sizes. It can be installed by digging a trench, but most tile is pulled into the ground now with GPS guided tile plows. I even have my yard tiles and my eve spouts drain into them also - keeping my basement nice and dry and no dang spouts to move when i mow! One of the perks of being married to a farmer - lol!

OUr email was down yesterday so am just now able to let you know that everything worked out PERFECTLY! Thank you so much for your prayers!! The fire only got one outbuilding on another rancher's property and then it stopped right at the cattleguard that would have led it to that rancher's home...no people or stock injured. The Nat'l Forest Service sent in 2 helicopters that made 2 water drops each and about the same time the wind shifted again and sent the fire more to the south so it only got about 2 miles from from the old farmhouse. They had 2 pumper trucks from a friend's oil company stationed by the homestead pasture, and the county sent out road graders to plow fire breaks everywhere they could safely reach. All in all, it was a frightening time, but worked out well. Lots of burned pasture land, but hay can always be brought in and we are so-o-o-o grateful that no life was lost! THans again for your prayers!! Pat