Nope, it ain’t purty.
My drive to work is not as beautiful as it was two or three weeks ago. And, sadly, it won't be the same as long as I live. In fact, I won't see it even begin to recover to a noticeable degree. It will take several decades to restore the forest to the calm beauty I've known.
My house is safe, and the area around me is pretty much intact. But that drive .... seriously, it made me want to cry today.
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| If you look, the tallest, farthest hill is totally burned, as is the one to the left, the middle hill. |
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| It's odd how it burns everything around, but leaves one tree. |
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| Some houses seem unscathed. |
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| This just makes me shudder. |
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| Street signs are weird! |
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| I really am sad, seeing this. |
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| So sad, so sad. |
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| Beautiful old, tall Ponderosa pines are standing, but very dead. |
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| That's another home back there. Or was. |
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| This was a house. Honest, it was. Just ashes and the tin roof now. |
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| I couldn't get out as there isn't much shoulder to the road here, but this cute house is just ashes. All that remains is the fireplace and chimney. |
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| Another of the houses ..... just poof, and gone. |
Wildfires are serious. This was started by lightning, but please take this to heart. Be careful when you are out there, 'cause it doesn't take much to start one of these, but it takes a whole lot to stop it. This one didn't stop until it had consumed 242 residences and several more outbuildings. No lives were lost, thank goodness, but almost 1500 firefighters were on this. Then add in the National Guard who guarded and patrolled, the law enforcement folks who supported in any way possible. It's a mess. And I repeat .... this beautiful area will not be the same as long as all of us are alive. The Capitan Gap fire in 1950 is just a few miles away from me. It's the one where Smoky Bear was rescued. Now, 62 years later, it is coming back, but it still doesn't look like it should.
Lord have mercy, I am fortunate.
Hi Lyn, I just got through catching up. What a terrible time you've been through and all of those people that lost their homes. My heart goes out to them.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine you're reaction as you drove down your road. It almost looked apocalyptic!
We are in a drought here. Just horrible. Our Pastor prayed for rain at Sunday's service.
I hope Max is still doing alright and that all of you can settle back in your home. It has to be so, so hard to see all of the destruction around you. Still I am grateful that you are alright. I will check back soon. Love and a huge HUG to you, Love Di ♥
Di, "apocalyptic" is exactly the word I thought, too. I can't tell you how sad I felt. And small! Looking at it, I felt like a pin head in comparison.
ReplyDeleteWe are in a severe drought. Not enough moisture for now a third year, and of course, in this already arid climate, it is obviously serious as this wildfire shows.
Max seems OK, although the spot isn't healing just yet. I'll give it a couple more days, then off to the vet.
Love ya!
I am so sorry for the destruction of your beautiful forest. I know it takes a lifetime for the land to reclaim itself. I feel badly for you and your neighbors and all that you have lost. Life just isn't fair is it?
DeleteMoni, I met with some friends today after work, and we just processed our feelings about all this. It is life changing, even for those who had no loss and weren't evac'd. Losing the calm forest is like losing a key family member. Hard to explain, but it just is.
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