Say a prayer

[AndyL]

Hey folks,

Everyone say a prayer for smokey. His town is on evacuation alert due to a very large out of control forest fire - Latest update was it's just a ridge away.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/07/28/fire_alberta030728

Smokey - Good luck!

Andy

[brewmaster15]

Hey Smokey!!!


Hope it all turns out well for you out there!!!

-al

[Rod Coleman]

Good luck Smokey.

Hope the wind's blowing the right way.

Take care.

Rod

[richgrenfell]

Yeah Smokey,
hope everything turns out OK. I'll be prayin' for ya!

Rich

[keith_cny]

Hey Smokey,

Our prayers are with you. Stay safe!!!

Keith

[Francisco_Borrero]

The best wishes for you and yours from my family. I hope things work out okay. You are in our toughts.
Best, Francisco.

[BlueTurquoise]

Stay safe Smokey! Hope things turn out ok and we have you back on here soon!

[Discus_KC]

Smokey,

Got you in my prayers !!!

Jack

[Wolf]

Same here. I hope everything turns out ok for you Smokey.

[Fish_Fin-atic]

So that's why you call yourself "Smokey" !! ::) Seriously though, take care of yourself, and we'll be praying for you, and praying that the winds change, and praying for rain.

[jeep]

What a scary feeling.

Best of luck!

Brian

[yippy]

Hi Smoke, Hope all is ok for you and your fish. Take care,
Yippy :)

[fcdiscus]

Pullin for ya Smokey! Frank

[April]

last we heard last night he said he coudl take his fish to the store he runs. a lfs. but the fire was close to there also. or even closer. no chance of rain.....i dont think.
hope all is well smokey.
move to vancouver..where theres no fire?

[Chris.L]

I hope your ok smokey .. you, your family and discus! MY prayers are with you :)

[rickk]

Hope all goes well for you and yours Smokey, Stay Safe.

Rick

[Smokey]

Thank you, everybody. It is very uplifting to see your support.

Presently - There are 3 large water bombers; 15 helicopters and 500 ground troups battling the blaze. The fire is in rugged mountions terrain..... Making fighting the fire difficult.

It is all old growth forest - pine and spruce, great fuel for a fire, unfortunately. Heavy ground brush, large amounts of deadfall, rocky slopes and the atlitude - ~6500 meters. Combined - this makes battling the fire very difficult. The fire is racing up the valleys, pushed by warm dry winds.
Looking outside, I can see the flames of the fire, at night the sky is a brillant red. Smoke and ash is every where.
So far, over 500 people have evacuated, their homes! The community is pulling together, opening up their doors, for the evacutees.

As for myself, I am across the valley from the blaze. As long as the fire does not jump the highway - I feel secure.

If anybody has heard of " TURTLE MOUNTAIN " - it is the backside which is now ablaze!

South-easterly winds are pushing the fire towards Hillcrest [ which is under 1 hour evacuation orders] and Blairmore - the major business center. Every body is very nervous.
There are so many valleys that the fire splits and charts a new course. Racing in new directions. Currently - the fire is 10,000 hectors large. About 25,000 acres.

Thank you for the spirtitual support;

D. J. "Smokey" Urban

[Ardan]

Good luck Smokey!
Hoping for the best!

Smokey: May be you should change your user name to rainy. I'll pray the rain for you. Hope for the best and the wind will blow the other way. Keep us posted. Take good care for yourself and your family.
Jimmy.

[Armando]

Smokey, hope everything turns out okay for you and the wind blows away from you!! Best of luck!!

Armando

[blaze]

i'm doing my 'Rain Dance' for u now.

also praying for the best

[discuskrib]

thinkin' of you Smokey

[paulmat]

I will hope and pray for you and you home.
I hope you never know the feeling of having your home lost to fire.I have been there and wish it on no one.

Paul :guitarist:

[gillyweed]

OMG! I'm totally tuned out of news lately!!! Please take care of yourself & family, Smokey. We're praying for you, your family & everyone involved in this fire to find a safe way to return to. Keep us post if you have chance.

Take Care.

gw

[Rod]

Hi Smokey,

Stay safe my friend, my prayers are with you.

[AndyL]

The latest news (as of yesterday)

http://edmonton.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=ed_forestfire20030801

Andy

[Smokey]

Howdy all.

the forest wildfires are still out of control.

Yesterday, the winds changed direction - blowing the flames back towards Hillcrest and Blairmore. Once again people are being evacuated.

The fire is huge - uncontrolled - and powerful.

Napalm is being used to direct the fire;
However - it is the 900 hundred ground troops who are acutally fighting the fire. Hand to hand. This is where the fire is stopped.

My personal thanks to each and every one of these brave persons !

Smokey

[henryD]

God Speed Smokey.

Be safe.

Check in from time to time so we know everything is ok.

[Smokey]

Thank you for you support and prayers.

We have been getting spot rain .. but nothing worth while. The forestry fellows figure it need to rain for a week solid, before the fires would be extinguished.


The smoke is incredible - thick and overpowering !

Smokey

[henryD]

Smokey how does the fire affect your water supply and quality of the water?

Quick send them all my way and I will hold them for you.... ::) ;D

[korbi_doc]

??? ??? OMG Smokey, I had no idea! Somehow i missed all this, thought the fires in the west were in the state Parks! I pray that everyone is alright, & you & yours make it thru this horror unharmed. Keep well, & safe, Dottie

[Smokey]

Hmmm, never thought about that. The village I am in has its own water supply system. We are on water ration.

The quality has been stable - 8.4 / GH -225PP / KH - 195 PPM.

The ammonia is a bit higher. but eay to treat.

Because of all the heavy smoke, I am not running the airpumps .

I have had quite a few customers come in and ask about leaving their fish - evacuation - I am selling a lot of 7-day feeder blocks. and a lot of carbon, for their filters.

No one has lost any fish , so far.

Smokey

[Discus_KC]

Smokey,

I pray the next post is to say that everything is fine !!!! You have been in my prayers !!!

Jack