Why I Haven't Left... yet

I am thinking a bit more logically now.  I am definitely in a Set! frame of mind, as is Mom.  We could be on the road in about a half hour.  The reasons I haven't left yet are below.

The area that has burned between Phoenix and Hwy 188 is all open recreation land belonging to the Tonto National Forest.  Don't be confused by the 'Forest'.  It is pretty much all desert.  There are grasses, and as it moves north and up in elevation, some shrubs.  There are no buildings or people.  The firefighters have said that their 'Values' are Firefighters and people, structures, and then everything else.  The fire has been kept in a triangle bounded by Hwy 87 on the West, Salt River and associated lakes to the South, and Hwy 188 to the North East, the direction the fire has been moving.  The only town within that triangle is Sunflower on Hwy 87, which was evacuated.  They evacuated the small towns along Hwy 188 yesterday.  If the fire does cross 188, then as it goes north it starts to get high enough in elevation that there is more fuel in the form of trees.  There is also a lot of infrastructure between here and there.  There are high tension power lines with the poles, approximately 100 of them from the report, needing to be defended and at least 2 large power stations, one new. 

The upshot is, as long as the fires stays in desert landscape and the winds have died down, the fire lines they have been building for the past few days should hold.  There firefighters were reinforced yesterday with more people as well.  It is only if it jumps those fire lines and heads up into the timber land that I'll turn the key and go.

Cons of going is how much of a strain it will be for Mom to drive the 100-150 miles to get to my friend's place.  Her neighbor who would go with us is going blind and can no longer drive.  If we take my car and I drive, taking care of my cat is an issue as far as room during the drive and lodgings on the other end.  If we leave the cars and take the motorhome, we have no transportation on the other end.  Mom can't drive my car as it is a stick shift, the only other accommodation would be to put her car on the dolly and both of them ride with Bosley and I in the motorhome, which would be on the table as a possibility if Mom doesn't feel comfortable driving at any time.  There would still be the issue of very little braking power while towing a car with the motorhome.  I can't emphasize how much this stress on Mom plays into the decision. 

It comes down to, I don't think the firefighters will allow the fire to destroy the infrastructure between here and there.  There is a major dividing line that the firefighters have been reinforcing for a few days and should be able to hold.  IF the fire jumps that line, we will go.

What my neighbors here in the RV park are also looking at is we are surrounded by gated communities with multi-million dollar houses and golf courses in the center.  Those will be protected for sure.  Truly, I seem to be the only one worried about evacuating.