First there was the Taylor Bridge Wildfire last August. It destroyed dozens of homes and millions of dollars worth of property. While the fire was eventually contained, it is still burning. And now this area is being devastated by the Table Mountain Wildfire which was sparked September 8th when severe lightening storms moved through the area. The outlook is bad, too. Dry lightening is predicted for this weekend, and there is no rain in the forecast for the next seven to ten days. Adding fuel to this fire as well, so to speak, is that it’s burning the very forests that we visited when my niece was here-I remember seeing many, many, dead trees, victims of the spruce bud worm and pine beetle. Trees that are now providing a huge amount of “firewood.”
I read yesterday that the Table Mountain Wildfire is now burning roughly 30,000 acres and that the plumes of smoke billowing into the atmosphere have reached as high as 40,000 feet. Once again, lives and property are in peril.
Here in town, air quality is consistently classified as being in the extremely hazardous zone, and while it’s unsafe and highly inconvenient for us, I worry about the firefighters who are out there on the fire lines. They are suffering from exhaustion, frustration, and the overwhelming uphill battle to contain this fire. And in the worst kind of news, sadly, last Monday, a firefighter died.
In an effort to continue helping, I’m extending my 20% Etsy shop donation through October, with the money I raise going toward fire fighter relief-buying supplies like bottled water and high energy snacks.
Our local fairgrounds, where just a few short weeks ago we were all having fun. Now it’s a base camp for firefighters so that they have a place to rest, eat and get away for a while.
Now, if I could only donate some rain and snow.
I'm so sad to hear the fires are still a huge threat there. What you're doing to help is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa! The firefighters are stretched thin too, there just aren't enough of them, and they have been working so hard fighting these fires for weeks now. I sure appreciate what they do!
ReplyDeletemy .. my .. I am just speechless .. that is really bad ..
ReplyDeleteI was in Montana when Yellowstone had the huge fire. Smoke was so thick in Livingston you couldn't see across the street. You could see tongues of fire jump from tree to tree. We drove through Yellowstone Park that fall .. everything was black and charred .. it was eery.
Thank you for your kind donations .. I am positive it is much appreciated.
It's sad Lisa. The forests are so beautiful, and I hate the thought of them burning. All of the smoke is eerie, here too. It makes the sky turn this sickly yellow color-though sunrise and sunset are pretty.
ReplyDeleteThose firefighters...I'm glad to help out any way I can:)