yesterday i stood looking out towards the mountains
watching one of those helicopters that scoop up the water
then dumps it on the fires
i watched it go from the western part of my visual field
slowly in a solo flight
across the middle of my visual field
it slowly dropped down out of view
then
popped out into my eastern visual field
the sky above the mountains is this brilliant blue
azure i think is what i read once in a novel
yes
its azure
there is no smoke that i could see up in the moutains
above here
there are no clouds
there is no wind at all
it is amazing that just a few days ago this area was like
a war zone
the roads are still blocked to the north
folks arent allowed back in
the voluntary evacuation extends down to our street
it all seems like
well
everything is normal around here
the air feels and breathes like mountain air
i hardly see anyone with a mask on
it just feels good to breath good air
one thing ive noticed
is that i havent seen many kids anywhere since this started
they are all being kept inside
daycares and preschools are closed
the schools and universities closed a week or so
early for the holidays
local businesses are being devastated financially
its so calm
so peaceful around here
it just feels idealic
like
we thought it would be when we moved here
but
lets not get to complacent here
today is the day of reckoning for the thomas fire
270,000+ acres burned
55% contained
almost 1000 homes destroyed
thousands displaced
millions of dollars lost in business for local businesses
well over $100 million spent to fight this fire
one fireman died
our family friend lost his house
our relatives house was spared
i got a good case of the what i call fire bronchitis
its now the #2 largest fire in california history
soon to be #1
estimated confinement january 7th
so here we are today
sitting and waiting
they have been clearing the south edge of the fireline above us
with water drops and flame retardent
bulldozing
clearing hot spots
even the new map shows hardly any red spots now
but
apparently the firefighters have been here before
it just takes one spark to get over that line
and
it all takes off again
so
here we all sit today
waiting for the winds to start up this evening
those sundowner winds
like when you wait for the hurricane winds to start
or a tornado wind to get close
its sort of like being in the eye of the storm
like
the calm before a tornado hits
the calm before a war battle begins
the winds will pick up
blow hard
throwing limbs and trash and leaves all around
hopefully
there will be no sparking going on
if we get through tonight
the thinking is
that
this fight those firefighters have been fighting
the battle will be won
the war will be amost over
they go home most of them for christmas
folks can move back in their homes before christmas
what a relief this will be
that this devastation financially and emotionally will be over
the oganicgreen doctor
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