It’s been impossible for anyone in North America with any kind of media access to avoid seeing photos of the Houston flooding disaster, or to miss the worries of what’s about to hit Florida, with Hurricane Irma.
But here in the Pacific Northwest, the sky is a thick grey that, back in NY, would warn of a snowstorm coming. But here it tells me that the winds have shifted again, and Seattle’s getting a hint of the wildfires currently burning. Could be Quarry (only 130 acres, but close, near North Bend), could be Mt Jolly (currently 21,000 acres, near Cle Elum), could be Norse Peak (currently 19,000 acres, near Mt. Ranier)….
NWCC is monitoring 31 different fires burning in Washington and Oregon right now. Few of them are expected to be fully contained until October (and the winter rains). A wet winter caused a good growing season in the spring, and then a hot summer dried everything up. One carelessly tossed cigarette, unattended campfire, or unlucky lightning strike, and thousands of acres and hundreds of homes are lost.
Â
Fire is civilization’s first friend. It’s also one of its worst enemies.
If you’re the good-vibe/prayer sort, our firefighters could use a few, this season.