due southwest: What A Day

Yesterday started out like any other day in Sierra Vista. After Old Ironsides left for work, I had plans to run and hit the library for a few hours. While at the library, I received information that an elderly woman was looking for a "temporary" home for some of her cats (one adult and two kittens). I provided them with my contact information, and I headed out to Ramsey Canyon Rd. (For those of you keeping up with the fire, this road is within the evacuation zone.)

I got there and was then told these were outdoor cats and not the most domesticated ones at that...a little bit of a surprise for me, but I wasn't going to leave them high and dry. So, we caught as many as we could and placed them in a carrying case. Just as I was getting ready to head out, the woman received a reverse 911 call warning her to evacuate immediately. We, along with her daughter and granddaughter, frantically began packing and loading her valuable items.

About an hour in, we looked to the north and saw a large cloud of black smoke. For those of you who do not know, the fire is in the southern parts of the Huachuca Mountains. Firefighters are trying to keep it along the ridge of the mountains to detour it from Sierra Vista to the north and multiple housing complexes on the east. So, to see smoke in the north was extremely scary. It appeared as if the fire had jumped and ended up in Sierra Vista or on post. There was smoke to the north and smoke to the south...it was a little daunting. At that point, I took the hint and got the heck out of dodge, advising everyone else to do the same.

I rushed back to the apartment with the three cats in tow, unsure of how bad the fire situation was. After various texts and phone calls, I was able to get into contact with Old Ironsides. The fire we saw in the north was on post; however, it was started by a spark from some training equipment and not a jump from the Monument Fire. By 1800, the fire was 90% contained and 100% contained by this morning.

Last night was quite the night. The two kittens we rescued were in desperate need of some medical attention, so we headed to Tucson. (All of the vets in Sierra Vista are boarding and caring for emergency animal victims of the fire.) They're eyes were matted shut and it took the vet about fifteen minutes or so to get their eyes open. They are now receiving oral and ointment antibiotics to help with the upper respiratory infection. The kittens were not weaned and we were not able to catch the mother. So, we are having to bottle feed them every four hours and start them on kitten food. If any of you have experience with kittens, please do not hesitate to leave a comment or email me. I am open for any and all advice...Also, we are unsure where these kitties will go after the fire dies down. We have various options. If any of you have suggestions or people who may be looking for a pet kitty (or three!), let me know.

Enjoy and keep praying for the fire to die down!

K&T

PS Thank you to all of you who kept me sane yesterday! Love you all.

Now, I'll leave you with some pics.