UPDATED NOV. 11th, 2018:
Multiple wildfires across California leave at least 25 dead
NBC News
“I will tell you that this weighs heavy on all of us,” said Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea. Read the full story
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UPDATED NOV. 10th, 2018:
‘We’re not going to die like this’: Nine confirmed dead in California’s most destructive fire
The Sacramento Bee
Nine people are confirmed dead in Paradise, California, Friday by the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Flames from the 70,000-acre Camp Fire consumed their cars as they tried to flee, authorities said. Read the full story
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UPDATED:
Five people were killed in their vehicles trying to escape Northern California fire
The Mercury News
The wildfire quadrupled in size overnight, to 110 square miles, and is only 5 percent contained. Read the full story
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Southern California fires force evacuation of 75,000 homes
Yes, The Camp Fire. Again, California struggles with yet more fires, one in the area near to Thousand Oaks, referred to as The Hill Fire, where we are dealing with the aftermath of yesterday night’s mass shooting, and a much larger and fast moving fire in northern California, called The Camp Fire. The Camp Fire has been reported as moving the equivalent of 80 football fields per minute, and last reported at over 18,000 acres. The town of Paradise, in Butte County, and having a population of 26,000 people, has suffered much damage and understood to be under mass evacuations. Paradise is about 85 miles north of Sacramento. There are approximately 500 firefighters on scene. Again, California begs your prayers, as even now more fires are being reported.
We Pray:
Precious LORD, in the face of these fires of both northern and southern California, we are very grateful that we can reach our hands to You for our help and strength. Dear LORD Jesus, take our hands and lead us on through the terror of the night as our world burns around us. We appreciate life every so keenly in times of danger. Help those who fight the fires, and those who flea them, to face these obstacles victoriously in every aspect, whether in advancement or retreat for safety. Do not allow the people to be overwhelmed or lose faith in their All-Powerful God. May each realize that You, LORD, are greater than the disasters they may be facing in the heat of the moment, and that You will work it out for the better. I pray that the victims and the responding warriors will stand strong in their faith in You.
I ask LORD, that You will raise up those who will share the love of Christ with the workers and the victims by meeting their needs, immediate and long-term.
My God, awaken Your Church to trust You in these times of multiple disasters and threats worldwide. These are the times the Bride of Christ must rise and shine before a crumbling and frightening world. This is the right time to reveal the peace of God to others by living out the Truths of Psalm 46. I pray for Your Church, LORD, pour Yourself into her so that she may pour herself out for all others. May Your Bride reflect godliness, purity, and great hope instead of evil. I pray that the people of God shine His light in these darkest of times.
I pray for the salvation of souls as Your people follow the Spirit’s lead in sharing their faith, as during disasters and times of difficulties, people are often open to the Gospel. They need hope, and You, LORD, have the hope of eternal life; the refuge that everyone needs.
Now Father, I am concerned for the very lives and the homes and the possessions of those in the paths of these raging infernos. Please extend favor to all in harm’s way. Please protect those who are risking life and limb battling all these extreme fire threats. For those who have been injured, comfort and heal; for those who have lost life in sacrifice to others, have mercy on them and grace and comfort for the surviving families. All we have is You, LORD God, and You are all we need. We call upon You in the Victor, Jesus’ name, Amen!
‘The whole town’s on fire’: Residents flee as Northern California community burns
The Sacramento Bee
Desperate residents of the Northern California town of Paradise described a horrifying scene Thursday as the massive Camp Fire tore through the area, destroying cars, burning a hospital and forcing some to run from the flames as traffic out of town came to a halt. Read the full story
We pray for all the families involved in this tragedy.
A Fireman’s Golve
A fireman’s gloves hold many things
From elderly arms to a kids broken swing
From the hand they shake and the back they pat
To the tiny claw marks of another treed cat
At 2am they are filled with chrome
From the DUI who was on her way home
And the equipment they use to roll back the dash
From the family she involved in that crash
The brush rakes in spring, that wear the palms out
When the wind does a 90 to fill them with doubt
The thumb of the glove wipes the sweat from the brow
Of the face of a fireman who mutters What Now?
They hold an inch and three quarters flowing one twenty five
So the ones going in, come back alive
When the regulators ring; then there isn’t too much
But the bypass valve they eagerly clutch
The rescue equipment, the ropes, the C collars
The lives they saved never measured in dollars
Are the obvious things a fireman’s gloves hold
Or so that is what I’ve always been told
But there are other things those gloves do touch
Those are the things we all need so much
The hold back the rage on that 3am call
They hold in the fear when you’ve lost the wall
They hold back the pity, agony, sorrow
They hold in the desire to do it tomorrow.
A glove, just a glove till it’s on a firefighter
Who worked all day just to pull an all night’er
And into the fray they charge without fear
At the sound of help they think they hear.
Off comes the gloves when the call is done
And into the pocket until the next run
The hands become lonely and cold for a bit
And even shake just thinking of it
They’re not so brave now; their hands they can’t hind
I guess it just means they are human inside
And though some are paid and others are not
The gloves feel the same when its cold or its hot
To someone you’re helping to just get along
When you fill them with love, you always feel strong
And so when I go on my final big ride
I hope to have my gloves close by my side
To show to St. Peter at the heavenly Gates
Cause as we all know, Firefighters just don’t wait
