[Pros From Dover]

So, my home is in Colorado, which apparently is entirely on fire at the moment. They've just issued mandatory evacuations about 2 miles from where we live and my wife says she can see flames from the house.

I work overseas and am currently in Poland at the moment and won't be home until July.

My buddies reassure me that the fire isn't close to where we live, but it's bad enough that my wife is grabbing stuff we can't live without and going to stay with my mother until they get the fire under control. (We'd never get one of my dogs out from under the bed in a true emergency). Luckily she can sweep the bookcase full of Iron Man stuff off into a garbage bag and most of my loose figures are in tackle boxes that will readily go in another one. Plus all my camera gear, computers, hard drives and photo albums then bugging out.

But all my vehicles, my comic book collection, my carded figures...man.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had to go through something like this?

[Bubba304]

oh man that sucks....its one of my worst fears. Sorry to hear that man, hopefully its not that bad. most important thing is that everyone stays alive and out of the flames...hope she can get your dog out.
I've always worried about a flood, fire, hurricane and losing everything....i wouldn't start the collection over, but thats just me.
keep us updated!

[mistershipwreck]

Good luck and hope all goes well. That's tough man.

[trowa195]

That is my fear as well. I just keep in mind that I have insurance and MOST of the stuff is replaceable in some way. There are a few things that are not and that would be horrible but as long as my pets and loved ones were out I would be okay. Good luck, I hope all goes well.

[warmachine6]

Ouch a nightmare thats why i have cryo foam installed , no not really . lol but it would be handy to have just in cast of a fire but still. i would be in tears if i lost my collection i think.

[DHeezy81]

That would really suck man. But most of which can be replaced. I'd much rather grab every picture and anything with sentimental value. Stuff INS money can't buy back.

[77kustoms]

I just read about it. Wow that is terrible. Knowing a fire is on its way and not really being able to do anything about it. I would much rather be woken in my sleep and have to grab a few necessary items and worry about the rest later. But knowing...dang. If I wasnt on the other side of the country I would swing by with a UHaul. Best of luck to you and your family

[Pros From Dover]

Thanks guys.

The wife says she has a pile of stuff by the door, ready to go.

Trying to talk her into taking the dogs to my mom's house now so she doesn't have to drag them out and herd them to the car.

They've shut the road down about four blocks from where I live, which is where the mandatory evacuation line is.

There is a news crew about a mile west of us, she says when they evac, she'll bug out

[proteus]

Damn buddy thats hard!! My plan would be to get as much of your collection out now,its better to err on the side of caution,and moving the dogs out now is definitely a good idea too,if they move that evac-line back beyond your house,its going to be a rapid clearout,so its best to shift stuff now, best case scenario,its moved and get moved back when the fire is under control,worst case is,realistically you could lose the lot, im not trying to be harsh or shocking,just realistic.........

[Pros From Dover]

Yeah, no worries. From what it sounds like, she has a bunch of my stuff packed up ready to go. But since it's just her, its gotta be what she can get in the car, including the dogs. I cant seem to talk her into taking them to my moms house for some reason

[ToyAddict]

She probably ought to start moving stuff now, if she has the time. Might want to look into renting a small UHaul trailer (if she has a vehicle that can tow it), and a small storage unit close to your mother's place.

I know my loss of collections wouldn't be close to this, but just to answer the original question. . .I was living with my father (parents divorced) when I went to college. My father died 3 months later. My mother and sister were still in town there; I was 500 miles away. They had to handle everything. Somewhere along the way, they managed to lose all my Gobots and G1 Transformers.

My sister took a lot of my stuff to her house. Some got stored in the shed. On a trip home after my first year of college, we discovered a dead rat in my box of MOTU figures. We ended up tossing those too.

One of my first memories of childhood. . .I was 6 and we were moving from Texas to Florida. . .I had decided that for the trip I was going to take with me in the car my collection of the mini-comics that had come with the Super Powers figures. I made extra certain to put them some place where they wouldn't get lost. I think you know where this story ends. . .

[Pros From Dover]

Ugh...I HATE rats. That would suck.

Unfortunately most of my carded stuff is displayed. My collection room has vaulted ceilings and everything is up to high for her to reach it.

It sounds like all of my Iron Man stuff is already packed up, ready to go as well as most of my loose figures.

[trowa195]

Thinking about what ToyAddict said... I actually have lost a collection. When I was younger I went to live with my Dad and never had the chance to get my stuff back from my mom's before she gave everything away or trashed it. I lost all MOTU, transformers old school G1, GI Joe, Insectors, Thundercats, Star Wars, DC collection, Ghostbusters, M.U.S.C.L.E. figures, Garbage pail kids cards, Inhumanoids, not to mention all of my horror posters, Atari 2600 and about 60 games, TMNT figures etc... But I managed to hang on to my Legos and ROTJ complete Jedi Luke loose
I hope the people she gave those things to gave them a good home. but they probably didn't.

I totally forgot. I think that is why I started collecting seriously after highschool with the re-release of starwars. Kind of trying to build my collection back, which I have done with a vengance.
Life does go on. But I totally agree, get pictures, art, home movies and personal trinkets before the rest since those things can't be replaced. And also, not that it helps now but it may help others in the future, always have a bad ass insurance policy AND flood insurance. Take pics of all of your collection and store them online and keep a list in excel as well.

[Torn Prince]

I lost my entire Transformers collection in a house fire a few years back...I haven't had the heart to collect them since. I hope everything works out okay for you and your family though bud.

[Pros From Dover]

Geez, that's like the whole 80's thrown way in one fell swoop.

Just talked to the wife, sounds like she has about a carload of stuff ready to go just in case.

[Pros From Dover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torn Prince

I lost my entire Transformers collection in a house fire a few years back...I haven't had the heart to collect them since. I hope everything works out okay for you and your family though bud.

Ouch. Just...ouch.

[fallen69lee04]

hope the fire is controled befor they move the evac line. my paryers are with you fellow arker and your family.

[The Fire Rises]

Oh My Gosh! I hope nothing happens but if it does let us know. Perhaps there is someway we can help out our fellow Arkers like you in Colorado who might face this in the very near future. I just hope that everyone is safe and no one gets hurt. Please keep us updated!

[DHeezy81]

^ Oh the cruel irony of your screen name!

Hope it rains hard bro!

[The Fire Rises]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DHeezy81

^ Oh the cruel irony of your screen name!

Hope it rains hard bro!

Oh yeah..... That is quite ironic..... I just hope no one gets hurt! I heard rain was moving in in part of Colorado so hopefully it helps keep the fires at bay.

[Iceman]

I lived in Colorado during the big fires in the early 2000's (the one's started by that lady burning a love letter). I remember it raining ash in Colorado Springs for days. Hope the fire stays away from your house man.

[Pros From Dover]

My wife says she got a large portion of my collection and other family valuables over to my mom's house yesterday. It also sounds like they are lifting the evacuation orders for the moment. Seems the fire switched directions just before it hit the area I live close to.

Thanks for all of the thoughts guys.

[trebleshot]

Sorry to hear about your plight, Pros. Hope everything works out ok.

Having said that, this belongs in the GD forum. Moved.

[User897]

The ex-wife stole the bulk of my collection in 2001. I actually wish there WAS a fire in my situation, then it would be easier to deal with and let go.

[TomsToyChest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pros From Dover

So, my home is in Colorado, which apparently is entirely on fire at the moment. They've just issued mandatory evacuations about 2 miles from where we live and my wife says she can see flames from the house.

I work overseas and am currently in Poland at the moment and won't be home until July.

My buddies reassure me that the fire isn't close to where we live, but it's bad enough that my wife is grabbing stuff we can't live without and going to stay with my mother until they get the fire under control. (We'd never get one of my dogs out from under the bed in a true emergency). Luckily she can sweep the bookcase full of Iron Man stuff off into a garbage bag and most of my loose figures are in tackle boxes that will readily go in another one. Plus all my camera gear, computers, hard drives and photo albums then bugging out.

But all my vehicles, my comic book collection, my carded figures...man.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had to go through something like this?

I sure did. I had quite the collection of vintage Tron items and other things like collectible software (Visicalc, Wordperfect for Apple II, etc.) from my college days in a storage building that my parents had on their property. The place burned to the ground thanks to some twit who was burning leaves and other trash illegally next door to them, total loss.