That's good to hear that he's okay. News on the wildfires and the shooting at Thousand Oaks has been all over the place. California is just not having a good week... =P

I just saw it in the papers. The destruction's beyond anything imaginable.

glad to hear he is okay!

Who is Paul Brown?

Paul Brown is a friend of RDA's. He usually goes to conventions with RDA, and sometimes does things for RDA on his behalf. Paul also owns an online store that sells autographs and such, mostly for RDA.

Edit: Someone can correct me if I'm wrong... I don't follow Paul that closely... lol

You can check out the site here: http://www.legendscanada.com

He did a cool MacGyver display a few years ago. Those sold like hotcakes until CBS shut it down. Bunch of party poopers...

Paul is the guy that organizes all of RDA's appearances... basically his agent/handler.

It looks like RDA was ordered to evacuate his house. It's directly in the path of the fire.

http://www.rdanderson.com/updates/index.htm#20181110fire

Imagine how horrible is must be to lose your whole lifes possessions.

Houses can be rebuild, furniture can be replaced... but the special things you've collected through your life that have special meaning and memories.. they can't be replaced... that must be what hurts the most.

Himself, the Dogs, …. and then way down the list but close to fan's hearts is that sack of saks he collected from the show.
Nope, I think you just forget the latter et al and get your ass out of there, asap. Goodgawd those fires are scary, even when just watching them from the comfort of one's couch.

Apparently he was "Passing out water and gum and chocolate to fire, police workers, etc."

Wonder if he got any MacGyver jokes from anyone?

Yep, that sounds like RDA/Mac to me. Staying when ordered to leave. Glad to see his house and himself of course were spared from the fires.

According to this news clip the fire was because of a shortcircuit?



This is not just a forest fire? I was already thinking, how hot is it there, this time of year?

Yes at least one of the fires was caused by an electrical fault NOT global warming as some people are preaching on social media.

Fires in California seem to be a yearly occurrence.

He's a hero... On screen and off

I wouldn't call defying an order to evacuate your house when a wall of flames is coming down your street heroism.

With all due respect to RDA. it's actually REALLY stupid!

Let's put this in perspective.... The air is so hot there it burns your lungs as you try to breath, it's full of poisons from all the plastics and flammable materials the houses and furniture are made of, there's so much smoke that you cant' see properly... he choose to stay as this death trap come down the street towards him.

Not very smart, not very sensible, not very considerate of his daughter who could very easily have been without a father now.

Think I'm being to harsh... Take a look at the video below and the article linked. Then tell me he did the right thing.

Yes he's giving out water now, but to stay there in that moment is just outright stupidity.


Watch the video and have a read of this article.

Explain staying or defying?

If there is a fire down my street coming my way, six houses from mine, I'd probably wouldn't stay at my house either but would I leave the general area? It's something I've been thinking about whenever I see a disaster film that makes me think: what would I do in a situation like that? Sit around and wait or cry over my losses or trying to help others as good as I can? I like to think that I would volunteer to help out: giving out water, blankets, take up names or something. Then again you never know how you would react when a situation like that actually occurs.

Don't forget Paul said RDA elected to stay. It was his choice and his decision, so that's his responsibility. It didn't sound like he was playing the hero. There's probably some sort of camp with paramedics at a safe distance from the fires where he's helping out and if he's in a dangerous area it's probably not without a mask. I've seen Gerard Butler and that paramedic with masks.

No, I think RDA knows what he's doing. Nothing wrong with giving out water. I think with staying he meant: staying to help out, not staying because he refused to leave his home. Don't forget he did Firehouse once, so I would assume that he at least knows the basics of what to do and what not to do in case of fires.

You make it sound like he simply refused to leave and that he's now helping out because he might as well do that since he had no choice but to leave his house.

I think he stayed because he wants to help out. It's what he does, what he always did and he knows better then to pull some stunt that can get him killed.

He did! He was on his way out and stopped and turned around and went back after being told to leave.
Here's the email he sent to RDAnderson

I didn't say it wasn't his choice. I'm saying it's a really stupid and dangerous choice. This fire has burned people in their cars as they try to escape.

Seriously??

Did you watch that video I posted? Acting in a movie isn't going to prepare him for a raging inferno that even firefighters are getting injured in and cant' control.

These aren't gas flames that turn off every time the director yells cut.

Yes, I did watch the video and I still think he made the right decision. I'm not saying there was no risk involved, I'm sure there was. Honestly how many people would say or do that in order to help others? Not many. Others would simply run and think about themselves. Can you blame them? No, even it would be easy to accuse them of being selfish. But can you blame the ones who are trying to help out, even if it's the simplest thing you can do like giving out water and food? No. He's not in charge of the rescue operations doing something heroic or dangerous like getting people out of burning house or car that is about to explode. I don't think he's anywhere near the inferno handing out water, chocolate and gum to anyone who is fleeing. But then again what do I know. If he's at a safe place at a safe distance from the fire doing those things, I don't see the problem here. He's safe, he's sound and he's helping out.

Don't you think he had some sort of fire department or rescue operation training prior to that movie? It was probably just: run! But I'm sure a training like that is more then just that and fire fighting, like what to do during a rescue operation near and away from the fire.

No kidding.

You may think it was stupid and that's fine. Maybe it is stupid, I was not there and I don't know where he's helping out now, he might still be in the danger zone but I think he's at least far enough of the fire to be safe and I back him up in his decision. It shows his willingness to help out in case of emergency and make himself useful. Not many people would do that and therefore I respect him.

Yeah I have to side with MacGyverOnline with this one - TV hero or not, RDA is an older actor, and shouldn't be ignoring evacuation orders. That's the kind of scenario that leads to rescue workers potentially having to come in to save him had things gone the wrong way. Gerard Butler did evacuate and just came back when the fire was out (the selfie) which is different then staying.

Also the fact he was in a firefighter movie 20 years ago does not qualify him for anything - he can barely remember Stargate episodes lol.

Didn't say it wasn't dumb, but at least he's trying to help. Though I'd probably just leave if it were me. I'm not with him, so I can't really say exactly what he's doing or if it's the best case scenario.

Not sure what to think - while I do think RDA is old enough and wise enough do decide for himself in everyday decisions, I don't think staying despite a evacuation order is wise.

He might have a heart of gold, but said organ sadly is not in the best shape. (I don't remember how many years ago, but he did have doctors needing to put stents in because he was risking an imminent heart attack otherwise.) Smoke inhalation is incredibly dangerous - it puts a strain on your lungs which affects your heart. You can die hours, even days after smoke inhalation by a heart attack. So I hope he got at least the dogs out because the smaller the lungs, the bigger the strain of the smoke on your lungs.

Also, he might be a hero for us and quite famous in the TV world but he's still an everyday man when it comes to fire. I don't think he was in the best position to judge the situation and I wonder if he'd done the same if Wiley had been staying with him on that day.

And as mentioned, the evacuation order means it's too dangerous to stay. By staying, you risk the life of the firefighters as well. And if the situation gets too dangerous and the firefigters have to pull out definitely, you're completely on your own.

I admire his desire to help out, but I don't think this was the best decision at all. If everyone had left the area, that would have helped the firefighters probably just as well because they wouldn't have needed to feel responsible for the people that stayed and maybe risking too much.

The movie aside... we don't know what happened between his refusal and the moment he started to help out. Maybe he just drove back to find the nearest outpost to help out. I can't imagine that he just went back to be ordered again to evacuate and there couldn't have been that much time in-between. I guess we'll never know. I still think he made a good decision by staying and helping out, instead of simply running and leaving others behind.

If his decision was that bad he'll probably get his head chewed off by Wylie and April.

Who said he didn't get his head chewed off? lol

I know if my Dad pulled a stunt like that, I'd totally chew his head off. I'd rather he not push his luck. He already had a heart attack about two years ago and had to have quadruple bypass surgery... I wouldn't want him risking his life for the sake of helping out, especially if there are better and safer ways to help.

But I know my Dad well enough to know that if he was told to evacuate, he would have been gone LONG before the evacuation notice was even posted. XD

Thank god my Dad is smart, and paranoid.

In which case, what's done is done at this point. No sense worrying over something that didn't happen. Though, I do agree it wasn't a very smart idea of RDA. But it sounded like RDA followed his gut, and who can really argue with that? Agree or disagree, it was ultimately his choice and I don't think our opinion on the subject really matters much to him.

Let's just be thankful he had good luck and seems to be fine.

Yeah really the best way for an older actor to help out in an emergency situation is probably with a check book Certainly removing yourself from the area is much more prudent. I'm glad it worked out - but it's a good point that even if his house didn't get burned the air quality is probably terrible. Recently when we had a lot of fires in the area (less close than those were) and the air was terrible, ash films on cars, etc, and it totally affected breathing outdoors - and we weren't even close to evacuation status.

I just wouldn't judge him on his decision even if there is an "I told you so" is in order.

Fires like this are unimaginable where I live. This one is due to an electrical fault. We don't even have forest fires here. Not many forests to burn down here unless maybe the Ardens or the Campine. For forest fires in Europe you really need to go to Spain or Portugal, maybe the south of France and just maybe Italy. Maybe it's a little weird we didn't have any even after this exceptional summer. Then again, thank God.

But that an electrical fault, a shortcircuit can set California on fire like that... a little spark and *woof* the whole west coast is ablaze.

Actually, RDA has real experience from fighting forest fires in his youth.

He was once asked in an interview about the best job he'd ever had:

"The most honest job I ever had - obviously that wouldn't be in show business - I fought forest fires in British Columbia back when I could do such a thing, in 1967. I was on this bike trip and we were staying at this camp ground when a forest ranger just came by asking for anyone who wanted to fight fires. A willing, stupid kid is what I was - no, not stupid. Just willing and adventurous."

Actually, RDA has real experience from fighting forest fires in his youth.

He was once asked in an interview about the best job he'd ever had:

"The most honest job I ever had - obviously that wouldn't be in show business - I fought forest fires in British Columbia back when I could do such a thing, in 1967. I was on this bike trip and we were staying at this camp ground when a forest ranger just came by asking for anyone who wanted to fight fires. A willing, stupid kid is what I was - no, not stupid. Just willing and adventurous."

why am I not surprised, lol... but key phrase even back when this interview was "back when I could do such a thing, in 1967"

RDA certainly should not be fighting any fires now lol, stubborn adrenaline junkie that he still may be

That's what I assumed. When I called him a hero, I was under the impression he was at an outpost a safe distance away helping out, not trying to stay in the very house that was in so much danger

That's what I assumed. When I called him a hero, I was under the impression he was at an outpost a safe distance away helping out, not trying to stay in the very house that was in so much danger

This is the message from RDA:

"November 11, 2018

I found a place that has a signal outgoing. Hopefully it is still working.

I am OK, a shredded mess, but the dogs and I survived pretty well.

Fifty houses destroyed in my neighborhood; at least six on my street alone.

The whole thing got bigger than I thought it would. Just kept coming, getting darker by the minute.

I was packed and heading out amid flames, thick black smoke, strong winds - completely nuts! I turned around at the bottom of my street (literally said, "**** it!") and went back. Like a bad movie.

Passing out water and gum and chocolate to fire, police workers, etc.

Gotta go.

Tell everyone I am OK and SO GRATEFUL FOR THE CONCERN & thoughts & prayers. It means a lot.

Rick"

'completely nuts' seems like evacuation worthy

Same here, Dragondog.

This line pretty much shows that he didn't really know what he was doing and should have been getting the hell out of there when he was told to instead of letting his Minnesotan stubbornness get the better of him.