On Sunday afternoon, October 20, 1991—just two years after the Loma Prieta earthquake rumbled the California Bay Area—a devastating conflagration created a Stephen King type of nightmare for East Bay residents. As the Oakland Fire spread through the Oakland/Berkeley Hills, wildlife and pets fled for their lives.

Unlike the earthquake of ’89, the odds were against cats and dogs in the immediate fire area. As the temperature soared to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, humans and animals didn’t have a safe refuge. The East Bay firestorm—one of the worst in the United States—was out of control for 69 hours as the “Diablo winds” intensified the natural disaster caused by a grassfire. Twenty-five people were killed, 150 people injured, and approximately 3,000 structures were destroyed. Some fire-spooked companion animals fought the flames and returned home. Others did not.

Many people believe they or their pets can sense danger before it hits. Read on and decide for yourself…

WILDFIRES
Past: Last June while the Angora Fire at South Lake Tahoe, Calif., other states were burning across the West, too. During July, wildfires ravaged parts of California, northern Nevada, eastern Oregon, southern and central Idaho, and in northwest Montana.

Present: This year, the Tahoe Basin has been declared a “state of emergency” in Placer and El Dorado counties to help prevent Tahoe fires. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the potential for above-normal summer wildfire activity is greatest in the Southwest, Southern California, the northern Rockies, and the High Plains. For more data, visit the National Weather Service website www.wrh.noaa.gov/mso/fireweather.

EARTHQUAKES
Past:  One unforgettable earthquake hit on July 27 in 1976 Tangshan, China.  A few days before strange animal behavior began in early February, 1975—like before May 12, 2008—city officials took heed of animal warnings (frogs and fish killed themselves; horses and cow ran off), and the city was evacuated hours before a 7.0 flattened Haicheng, China. But the Chinese didn’t forecast the 7.6 earthquake in July 1976, which killed more than 250,000 people.

Present:  July1-8 is a primary seismic window, according to Calif., geologist Jim Berkland who monitors strange animal behavior, lunar cycles and tides: the New Moon is on June 2, maximum tide is 8.9 feet on July 1 at Golden Gate. According to Berkland, this is an alert period for SF Bay Area, Oregon/Washington, Southern California, and the Pacific Ring of Fire.

TORNADOES
Past: Like deadly shakers, twisters are not forgotten such as the F-5 (the highest rating on the Fujita scale) which hit on July 18, 1996, and wreaked havoc on Oakfield, Wisconsin. Seventeen people were injured and caused $40 million in damage. Last year in July several F-1 and F-2 tornadoes hit North and South Dakota; 55 tornadoes were reported in the U.S.

Present: America may see “record twisters” this year because so far, 2008 appears to be the deadliest tornado year in the country since a decade ago, according to the National Weather Service. So, people in tornado-prone regions tune into animal warnings, and meteorologists monitor weather phenomena. The Storm Prediction Center issues watches. For information, log onto www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/#forecasting.

HURRICANES
Past:  Tornadoes can hit anytime, anywhere, whereas, hurricanes in July are often weak. But in 2005, Granite Falls, Minnesota got hit with a category 4 (with 5 being the highest rating) hurricane which caused one death, injured more than one dozen people. Total damage: millions of dollars. Scientists use wind patterns, barometric pressure, sea surface temperatures and other climate factors to predict hurricanes, and fishermen watch their cats for weather warning signs. In fact, cats have long been considered good luck on ships for their ability to ward off storms.

Present:  This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) gave their first probability (60 to 70 percent odds) that the Atlantic hurricane season could be a little busier than average, with six to nine hurricanes forming. The agency said there could be 12 to 16 named storms this season, from June 1 to November 30.

So, since scientists admit they aren’t able to reliably predict fires, earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes, is it really so far-fetched to monitor cats and other animals?
 

Cal Orey is the author of The Healing Powers of Vinegar, Revised and Updated, The Healing Powers of Olive Oil and SuperSensitives: Can You Sense Danger and The Man Who Predicts Earthquakes. Log onto her website at www.calorey.com