Tuesday, Sept 8, 2020- Smoke and Fires, No Mirror Needed

(apologies for lack of continuity here)

Overwhelmed by the sadness of the smoke and fires. 

22 days of Spare The Air alerts doesn't even begin to describe the constant presence of smoke and fire. It's like a deep winter season in a way, when snow and ice kept us housebound and indoors, only this is excessive heat and too much smoke. Exercise becomes an indoor activity: yoga or tai chi on a good day. 

For others, the fires force them to flee, leave everything behind, stare into an uncertain future. 

Woke today to an oppressively oily-yellow light, the sun a weak red disk behind a high screen of smoke from a fire somewhere else, perhaps the Wallbridge Fire flare-up that sparked evacuation orders again around Guerneville and Armstrong Woods State Park. Thick blankets of smoke, reminding us that fire has destroyed homes and lives and livelihoods elsewhere.  I hear now that this smoke is from fires in Mendocino.  There are or have been fires, I think, in every county in the North Bay, this past month. And now the Sierras are erupting in fire,  with courageous helicopter rescues of flame-trapped hikers and firefighters and citizens of all stripes and ilk.

A visit to the National Weather Service Twitter page has me saddened beyond relief -- satellite views of the sea of smoke settling into the inland valleys. Insane waves created by the heat and wind. Historic wooden train trestle in Yakima, Washington a gridwork of flames. And Southern California not one whit better.