Hello Diane,
So glad you asked for stories. I live in northern California and have had a few sessions on the fires, as well as frequent mini's to discharge terror.
Last October I was evacuated when the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, California came within 200 yards from my apartment complex. There was no warning and the fires moved quickly in the night, over hills and through homes. The daytime sky was dark brown over the burning neighborhoods and, although there were sunny days one could look right at the sun because of the thick smoke. I lived in Oakland on a friends couch for a week. I came home and tossed all the food in my refrigerator and freezer because the power was still out when I returned. I waited for 4 more days to have electricity and gas. I made some new friends at my local evacuation center where I went for meals and hot showers. 5,000 homes were burned, so rentals became scarce and more expensive. Home prices increased by 30% to 40% in the past year. Before the fires housing was already expensive for many who earned below . $35,000 per year. Seniors (over 55years old) lost some mobile homes and displaced others on senior housing wait lists making the wait for senior housing move from 3 to 5 years to 3 to 8 years.
Currently, fires burn in Mendocino and Lake Counties north of Sonoma
County. The air is hazy most days and visibility is poor. Sometimes the air smells smoky and coughing is not unusual when temps are above 85F.
I have mini's on the terror of uncertainty. And, on the discouragement and confusion of being around middle class pretension. And, on moving to a place where I can find senior housing to retire in.
I am an economist by education, yet, have seen that collapsing capitalism isn't mired in negativity. It is possible that it will change my perception of closeness and scarcity.
Love,
Maria Solarez
Santa Rosa, CA.