Please pray....we had a fire start really close to us about an hour ago. It is kicking up BIG time. The wind is blowing in our direction. We are packing up important stuff right now and will be ready to leave any minute. It is raining burning pine needles.

PLEASE PRAY

Donna

That is scary!! Thoughts and prayers are with all of you. Hope you will be safe!

Oh Donna! My prayers are with you and your family during this stressful time. I pray that God will keep you and your home safe. Please keep us updated as best you can. :hug:

PQ's Praying for your safety, the safety of your home, as well as your friends. Please keep us up to date on how you guys are doing.

I :wub: YA

Thanks for the prayers.

About an hour ago we got an update that the fire was 200 acres. We just got a call saying it has now grown to 500 acres. Our winds were pushing the fire closer. The winds seemed to have died down now. I am sure I won't sleep much tonight. They have already blocked off our road and only letting people who live back here and the firefighters through. Our humidity is only 6%!!


Donna

Last update of the night. They are not fighting the fire yet. All the crews are on other fires. They hope to have a crew out here tomorrow, Saturday. The fire is really growing fast. Kenny and I took a drive to town and when we got home we could see the flames from our house. We are going to wake up every 2 hours to check the progress of the fire. The girls are already farmed out to friend's homes.

I have to say how beautiful the sky is right now. The wind blew all the smoke to one side and all the stars are out shining so bright. We saw a shooting star too....GOD is good!!

Donna

I just saw this Donna....I'll be praying. Please keep us posted.

Right after I posted my last update last night I saw another update that said the fire was at 1000 acres at 10 pm last night. I did get up and check on the fire all night and I could see flames until 3 am. It was down to 54 degrees so I am sure that slowed it down. Beginning at 5 am I heard lots of hammering and driving around. I am assuming they are setting up the fire camp again. They should of just left it up...lol. I am going to go wonder over there in an hour and find out the plan.

Thanks,
Donna

I'm praying too, Donna.

Donna needs your prayers right now! They are evacuating everyone in her area, and she says it is really bad.

Please pray for her, and her family's, safety and pray that her home will be spared, if that is God's will.

I'm sure that Donna will let us know something as soon as she can. Right now....
let's pray!

I had no idea this was going on until jusst now. I am worried and praying for Donna and her family. Please keep us updated!!!!

I just spoke with Donna. The news isn't good. She said that one of her neighbors' house is burning and she expects to lose her home, too. She and her family are safe and she is staying at her job location tonight. She told me that they have evacutated the entire town of Seeley Lake, where she lives.

Here is a link to the story.

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/08/04/bnews/br66.txt

Please continue to keep Donna and her family in your prayers.

oh how sad...at least they are safe. I will be remembering them.

Donna I have been trying to reach you, do you have my cell #
PQ

Cut on Yahoo Messanger if you can

I am at work and am between clients and wanted to update everyone. All we know right now is that everyone should be out of Seeley Lake now. The National Guard should of got there this morning. At 10 last night the fire was at 8000 acres minimun, it is just a guess on their part cause it is moving so fast. They can't even put firefighters on it. There was an order for the big scoop planes to come and I did hear a plane or two during my last massage. The fire is jumping 1.5 to 2 miles ahead and starting spot fires. The Resort/Ranch that I work at is taking in all animals from Seeley Lake and boarding them. They have the biggest center in the state. We have pigs, dogs, goats, ducks, geese, you name it...it is here now...lol. I am staying in a camper next to this center so you can imagine the sounds I am hearing!
At this point I do think my house is gone. We are not getting word out of there yet. They just need to do their job. I am safe and tired.

Thanks for you continued prayers,
Donna

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/08.../top/news01.txt

It is good to hear that you and your family are safe. As far as the house.....if it is gone....it can be replaced...YOU CAN'T!!!

It sounds like you have your own little version of Noah's Ark going on there at the ranch/resort!

Thank you for the update, Donna. I have been praying for you and will continue to do so!

Donna asked me to post tonight to let you know that she hasn't been able to find out if her house is still safe or not. The fire has been designated as the nation's top-priority blaze, and is still growing. She asked me to post the latest news updates about her area, and to tell you that your prayers mean so much to her.

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/08...bnews//br64.txt

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/08...bnews//br60.txt

They...whoever they are...lol...gave us 4 hours early this morning while the fire is at it's quietest to go back to get anything else we wanted out of our houses. So I am sitting here in my house writing this before the national guard tells me it is time to leave again. The girls just left after getting more of their stuff. I was able to get all the photo albums. We all got showers and that felt sooo good to be clean again!! The smoke is so thick right here and I can't even see the mountain that I live at the foot of. We had to go through 3 check points with showing ID at each place. I can hear the helicopters and planes flying overhead. They are attacking this fire bigtime.

OK the wind is picking up now so I am leaving now....and they just pulled into my driveway...got to run.

Thanks for all the continued prayers...they mean so much.

Donna

Praying Donna!!!!!! You guys keep the faith
I'm believing for your familys safty.

Donna...I just saw this. I am praying for you and your entire family. Also praying for your neighbors....please keep us posted.... :hug:

PQ wishes we would hear something from or about DONNA and the fire situtation in Montana

I am still here. So is my house for now. They have opened a few areas so people can get back to their houses. My area is still off limits. I talked to the fire commander tonight and he said it is still too much of a hot spot threat. He did say that is there was something I just HAD to have out of my house still that I could meet the national guard at the road block at 8 am and they would take me back there for 10 minutes. The fire is so unstable in that area and they have all the heavy equipment in the heliport behind my house. So as long as the equipment is there my house should be ok. We are going to be dropping back down to single digit humidity again. They said Sept 15 was the earliest they think they can get this contained if all factors are in their favor. They also said it won't be really out until the snow this winter puts it out. It is 10% contained right now and 19,000 acres. The flames were 30 feet high the other night. Tonight after the fire meeting we could see the flames jump to the next tree and burn it then jump to the next tree. Fire sure can move fast.

The girls left for college yesterday and last night I didn't sleep well alone in that camper surrounded with the sounds of all those animals...lol...and not having a way to call anyone with no cell service. I also had 2 mice with me!! :cry: I asked if I could go move into the seasonal employees housing. Thank goodness one room opened up today and I am now in a bedroom with running water and a bathroom and a TV and internet!! It is set up like a dorm and since it is friday night it is very loud in the hallway....maybe it is this way everynight...LOL.

I sure have missed everyone :hug: I should be able to update better now that I have internet.

Thank you,

Donna

Praise You FATHER God For GOOD REPORTS and Praise YOU LORD GOD DONNA IS OK and HER HOUSE is ok. Lord keep your hand of protection around DONNA, HER FAMILY, HER HOUSE. Thank YOU LORD FOR ANSWERING PRAYERS and THANK YOU FOR KEEPING DONNA SAFE!!!!!!!!!! :wub: :hug:

Hey Donna, I am so glad to hear your house is safe and you are into better housing with internet. :D We have missed you here. :hug:

Donna, you are still in my prayers. Thanks for keeping us posted. I have been away since Wed morning, so it was good coming home and seeing your posts.
:hug:

The fire roller coaster continues. Last night at the fire meeting they gathered the few of us who live in our area to talk to us after the meeting. They said since the fire grew so much to the north they said it was time for us to go back to our house for a final cleanout if there was anything else we needed to save. We met at the main road today at 10 and were escorted back to our houses by police. When we got to our dirt road there was a line of about 10 fire trucks and water trucks and foaming trucks. The lead police went before that group and we all followed. I thought for sure they would turn off at the heliport where the stagings is but no they went right into our little housing area. They all pulled up in front of my house. It really hit me then that this might be it. They had cased our houses yesterday and made a plan on how to fight the fire as it comes to our houses. As I was busy inside my house for an hour and a half they were running around outside with hoses. They are setting up pumps down at the creek/river and running hoses to most of the houses. My house is kinda in the center so the other houses have the direct lines around their houses. They told me if they can keep the fire from their houses it should stay away from my house...they hope. My house is set up the best as far as clearing of trees is concerned. They do plan on foaming our gas tank and already have it marked for foaming. The problem is that foam works best if applied right before the fire hits and the way the road is there, the firefighters will have to be way out of there earlier due to only one way in and out. I was impressed at how fast they were working. The wind wasn't blowing as much today as it was yesterday. We do have some dry lightening storms coming in Wednesday and Thursday. We also had an older lady set 2 fires by the lake but the firemen got them out right away. She is already in jail. The stress is getting to so many people.

I wish that was all the news I had to tell everyone :cry:
On my way back to my evacuation room I hit a big buck with my Charger :cry: He came running across the road from behind the car that had just passed me coming the other way. I am ok. My car is another story. I was able to drive it the rest of the way and made all the phone calls to the right people. I was so concerned that the deer was still in the road and someone else might hit it. I am thankful I had the old Subi to drive. I was able to get tomorrow off so I can go get the estimates and talk to the adjuster. I sure hope I am not making 2 claims tomorrow! I am going to the fire meeting tonight again to see what the fire did today. I need a vacation when this is all done!!

Thanks for your continued prayers,

Donna

you stay in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us up to date on what is happening to you ok

good to hear from you Donna...keep your chin up, God knows exactly where you are and exactly what you need..He is with you thru each step of this. :hug:

We are all praying for you donna :hug:

You continue to be in our prayers, Donna. May God bless you and your family.

I'm glad to hear that you weren't hurt in your run-in with the deer. I'm still praying for you too, Donna.

Hopefully, Donna will give us another update soon, but in the meantime........
a little on the lighter side of the terrible fires that are threatening Donna's house
..........here is an article about what is happening with the animals of the evacuated families. It even has a quote from Donna, and mentions her pets.

Nice read..............

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/08...onal/news06.txt

I will post an update after the fire meeting tonight.


Thanks for posting the article Joe. I heard that article has made the rounds...lots of newspapers picking it up off the wires....lol. Poor Dalton being called Dolphin....lol.

The fire is now at 34,810 acres and 28% contained. It is drizzling and it should continue tonight. We got 4/100 inch of rain today. Hope it pours tonight. The fire again grew on the north and south flanks. On the north end it actually started another fire that grew to 100 acres real fast right where we go 4 wheeling a lot. Tomorrow they are hoping to secure more lines to keep the 2 flanks from heading east.

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/904/

This is the best place to check fire info and see the map. They did stress about being off our road from 7-10 am and pm for the shift changes. So they recommened I still stay someplace else. We also have a 30-60 minute evacuation notice for us. I am staying at my house for just tonight. I brought Dalton home so he can run around.

That's really cool.

Donna...hope you are back home safe and sound for good soon!

Our "little" 100 acre spot fire west of my house is now 800 acres!!

I am so thankfull for a very cool evening and the drizzle that fell most of the night. This will help the firefighters with their containment lines.

I had yesterday and today off from work. I decided to go back to my house for these two days. Last night at the fire meeting I talked to the commander and felt better about gradually moving back into my house. They have a dozer line around the spot fire and the whole Jocko Lakes fire is about 46% contained now. There are no hoses around my house anymore. The neighbors are starting to move back in also. John will be home today and I plan on having him help me get the house back together, it looks like a tornado came through...lol. He does have plans to use his truck and flatbed to help bring hay back to town for horses.

I want to thank everyone for all their prayers during this time. It sure has been a roller coaster ride.

Praise God for Answering all Our Prayers. It is wonderful to hear that all is well with you guys. :wub: ya