Longtime friends of the DogS(h)ite Khal Spencer and his wife, Meena, are among the residents of Los Alamos forced from their homes by the Las Conchas Fire.
They had stayed put Sunday despite a voluntary evacuation order, but this morning Khal told me via e-mail that ash was raining down on their house. A few hours later he sent a brief note: “Outa here: Mandatory evacuation. Talk to you soon. I hope.” He’s been blogging about the fire at Los Alamos Bikes, but I expect updates will be few and far between as they get themselves and their critters to safety.
So, like the headline says, keep your fingers crossed — not just for Khal and Meena, but for all the other folks dodging fiery bullets down there in New Mexico. And I’ll keep you posted.
Mad Blog Media 
Crossing the fingers, toes, and eyes. I’ll try to send all that rain we’ve been getting that way too.
Jeff, a commenter on The New Mexican‘s site just said La Puebla — where I first lived when I got the job at TNM — got a bunch of rain. Here’s hoping some of it finds its way to Los Alamos. Send some our way, too. A popcorn fart looks positively soggy compared to Bibleburg.
Khal i only know you thru the Dog, but I’m hoping and praying you are both all right. Bless ya!
Khal and Meena:
All the best to the both of you and your very precious homestead. I will see if any of my old (mid-80s) New Mexico mojo can be put to use to sway the tide there.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Dale in Missouri
Holy Crap! I’m sorry for Khal and his family. I’m really having issues with climate related stuff these days. Megatornadoes, wildfires, giant floods, long droughts….We’re about 15 inches over normal rainfall for the year so far here in So. Ill, and if they hadn’t already busted the levee on the Mississippi they’d have to do it again now…and the South Dakota shit ain’t even near here yet….
Nothing like someone’s real trouble to put ones made-up or over-blown pretend troubles in perspective.
Glad to hear they got out while the getting was good.
Sorry to hear it has come to this. Terrible news of fires for weeks now. Fingers and toes crossed.
Hoping for the best.
Patrick let us know if anything is needed.
I second that. Please let us know if Khal and his family need anything at all. We haven’t had any fires nearby our town, but lots of fires have been burning in Texas to the East and West/Northwest as well,
Mad Dog: Let Khal know that if there’s anything we can do for him here in Grand Junction to just let me know.
I got all eleven toes crossed for him et al.
Thanks, all, for the kind thoughts. I expect Khal and Meena will appreciate them as well. I haven’t heard from them, which doesn’t surprise me, given the extent of the evacuation. But when I do I’ll pass on your comments and theirs.
We are down in Santa Fe at a friend’s house and on a borrowed computer. Its utterly unpredictable up there with the wind changing direction and the fire moving in toward town from the SW. Those mountains are toast but no damage to town yet according to the local AM ratio station that is webcasting.
Wish folks luck.
KRSN AM 1490 is covering out of their studio in Los Alamos, as long as the power stays on. They are webcasting, for anyone interested. Greg Kendell, one of the Bombtown Bike Bloggers, has been there pretty much nonstop.
And of course, thanks to all for the kind and generous thoughts. We appreciate ’em!
K, delighted to hear that you and yours are out of the frying pan. This thing makes the Cerro Grande fire look like a mouse fart. On the bright side, it’s an excellent opportunity to have a cold one at Second Street. Please keep us posted when you have a spare second … we know you have more important things to do than jabber at us.
Good news is that at last check, the Pajarito Mountain Web Cam was still showing trees, not burned stumps. But the fire has been creeping along to the north and there is still concern it could make its way down Los Alamos Canyon, which didn’t burn last time.
We just got back from Whole Paycheck stocking the fridge with some wine and food. I’ll try 2nd Street tomorrow–right now, dead on my feet.
Well, here’s hoping for better, wetter days. Drinkin’ wine, spodie-odie, drinkin’ wine. …