Evacuation, what to take

[John Austin]

Currently there is a fire 40Km south of here in the Southern Forest Region of WA - We have already put my daughter's evacuation plan into practice as the fire is 8Km from her place - The wind is still, but if the wind increases we are phuqed - Her dog is here and farting

We have packed everything important - Legal document and the negs first, followed by the Linhof kit, the two 10x8" kits followed by the WA and Tele Rolleis and a bag of Nikon Fs and lenses - Books, A R Ammons, Kenneth White, the first Wynn Bullock monograph, Minimata, the I Ching and the Tao Te Ching - From the darkroom a litre of my 27 year old D76d as seed for a new batch in case the worst happens

To be abandoned to the fire are my former commercial studio Hasselblads, my Rollei 2.8F, Bowens flash kits and my enlarger bodies - The 10x8" De Vere would be the only one not replaceable, 'though the loss of the three Focomats would be a bit sad

This is an interesting exercise in selection

 

[BainDarret]

Don't forget to pack some film.
Best of luck from snowy Ottawa, Canada.

 

[tomalophicon]

Throw the Hasselblads at the fire. That will put it out.

Seriously: good luck, I've been in that position. It was scary but also exciting.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I have friends at Cowaramup outside Margie River in WA who recently had a huge task of selection given the size of their family when they were ordered to evacuate a few months back when fires flares left and right down near the bay — where other members of their family were and who lost their home. Their priorities were not cameras, but themselves, the dogs, two horses and very essential valuables. They left for 48 hours before returning with the all clear. Most sensible people would consider only their most valuable assets, be stuffed with cameras if it's an emergency. Cameras and the like can be replaced, but a lost life is lost.

 

[Tim Gray]

Man, that's scary. I'm not sure what I would do in your situation. I wish you guys good luck.

On a lighter note, mail me the Rollei. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[SuzanneR]

Very scary, but negatives would be impossible to replace, and sounds like you have those, so take care, and best wishes that you get through it all without any loss.

 

[munz6869]

Best of Luck!!! Hope it gets under control before it gets to you...

Marc!

 

[summicron1]

yeah, tough -- i'd grab the leicas and (bad word) the rest -- ok, maybe the really good rolleis too.

 

[Toffle]

Can you get some stuff off site to a safe place before any necessary evacuation? Take the negs for sure. Not so certain about grabbing some film... that is a lot easier to replace than a treasured camera.

Best of luck.

Tom

 

[Nicole]

The smoke from the fires down south blanketing Perth is huge, so I can only imagine what you are going through. My husband's a firefighter here in WA.
Our evacuation list (starting from the top depending on time available)...
1) The Family (incl dog)
2) small box of most important deeds/documents from the fireproof safe
3) laptop/computer/external harddrive if you have a paperless office
4) iPhone with most recent snaps of all your rooms
5) negatives
The rest is replacable stuff one way or another.
John, my thoughts are with you and your loved ones.
(Sent you an email as well).

 

[papagene]

My best wishes to you and your family. I also say your negatives are a priority and cameras if time and space allow.
Good luck and be safe.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Ammons--good choice. One of my favorites as well.

Take your best prints, too. At least a portfolio or archive box. Even if you have negs, they can be hard if not impossible to replace, particularly if they are on discontinued paper.

 

[ntenny]

We've evacuated for wildfires twice in the twelve years we've lived in this house (the Cedar Fire in 2003, which burned right to our back fence, and the Witch Creek Fire in 2007, which ultimately didn't come very close to us). Because of all the animals (we were running a boarding stable at the time, and in 2003 we still had a *lot* of reptiles) there was never much time to pack anything else. Negatives, an external drive with most of our important stuff backed up, legal documents, and a couple of instruments. But at the end of the day the only really indispensable things are lives.

Good luck and be careful. They do not make events much more scary than a big wildfire.

-NT

 

[MattKing]

John:

My thoughts are with you.

Is there anyone who can ship any of the other stuff to a safer location?

 

[John Austin]

Thanks for all the good wishes - Don't worry about the dogs - They have got the situation well sorted on their own - When the smoke was very thick early Monday evening they went into the rear seat of the ute, Grub, Zeke and our neighbours dog Ruby - The three of them sitting there with a unified expression of "We are ready, now drive!!!" - Not even the usual dog bickering about who sits where

Yes, legal docs first, then negs then a small bag of books, then the cameras that are needed for my planned portfolios

The good news is that with one exception the fire is now staying within the planned containment line and the wind is easterly, which should take it along the unpopulated coastal strip if it does break containment - There are no strong winds forecast for a few days - But we remain prepared and the dogs are here, keeping them out of the car is the difficult bit, on the canine mindset that cars = beaches

What this has done is to focus my mind on what I will actually use for the rest of my life, so the classified for sale section of APUG will get a good deal of equipment offered at very low prices to photographers who will use it - Anyone looking for a 250mm Rodenstock Imagon with all the fruit?

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

This is sad to hear, I really hope the situation gets under control and the fires do not continue to spread. Your plans seems well thought out and solid. I would also add that if you cant take your most important prints, is to jot down, or even quicker use a digital camera to photograph the print and photograph the printing notes to be able to reproduce the print again. Good Luck.

 

[Maris]

Bury the Hasselblads and the Rollei. Two feet down in the soil a hot fire will pass over the top with virtually no temperature rise at all. Actually while you are at it bury anything else you want to save but not carry.

 

[LJH]

Reminds me of the sad story of Olegas Truchanas losing his photos in the Hobart fire in 1967. Grab the negs.

Thoughts are with you, John.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Reminds me of the sad story of Olegas Truchanas losing his photos in the Hobart fire in 1967. Grab the negs.

Thoughts are with you, John.

Even sadder, Peter Dombrovkis burning 400 images in the hearth in a fit of depression...