The fires in Southern California are yet another heartbreak in what is now becoming a long string of sad events in the housing area.  Listening to the news and seeing the pictures on television just doesn't do justice to what is actually happening.  We can only pray that the only thing lost was a building.  It reminds all of us how precious our families are.  In the midst of so much terrible news, it warmed my heart to see neighbors helping neighbors.  In some areas nobody can explain what happened, one house goes up in flames and the one next door appears to be untouched.  In some cases the home owner will tell you they think their new tile or flame retardant roof helped.  One thing I know for sure, here in the Long Beach area, we must do everything we can to convince people that wood shakes roofs have to go.  We had one - I loved it - it was one of the reasons we bought our house.  But when it came time for a new roof my husband insisted we spend the extra money and put on a roof that had been treated with flame retardant.  I love El Dorado Park Estates, but a lot of these homes have their original shake roofs and right now our cars, our homes and our pools are full of soot and ash.  How hard would it be for a single spark to land on any one of those roofs?  Please if you have a shake roof, consider that it's time to change it.  Do it for the love of your home and your family.  If you need local referrals to some great roofers, let me know.  Let's try to keep everybody safe, and let's all pray for the people who lost so much during yet another fire season.