Forest Fires

As most of you know the state of Idaho and our next door neighbor Washington have some pretty big forest fires raging.  This past month they have been really bad.  Last week we lost a firefighter up north when a tree fell on her.  She was only 20 years old. 

On Sunday morning our National Guard joined the firefighters to lend support to the tired and overworked firefighters.  While we pray for rain and cooler temperatures, as well as the safety and wellbeing of our firefighters, we are hopeful that soon these fires will be contained and then out.  Hearing on the news that one of the helicopter bases set a record for the number of fire retardant dumps made doesn’t sound like a record one would really want to set. 

Our favorite recreation area was evacuated over the weekend because the fire was only five miles away.  Our family has fished along the Yankee Fork and explored the old mining areas and ghost towns in Custer county for decades.  Now those ghost towns are really ghost towns once again.  They’ve been threatened by fire before and have always managed to be okay.  I hope this time too. 

I took this picture driving toward the state Capitol building.

This is how it normally looks.

Today I awoke, once again, to the very strong odor of smoke.  It is extremely thick and hazy outside.  Our air quality is so poor that I’m sure anyone with respiratory issues is really having a tough time lately.  As a result we stay indoors, run the air conditioners when it gets hot so the cool air is somewhat filtered and pray for rain.  Lots of rain! 

Our neighborhood.

Boise is hazy, smelly, and dirty.  Everything is covered in a layer of yuck.  I haven’t hung the wash outside for over two weeks now.  I don’t ever recall it being this bad before.  It is a constant worry. 

A view of the Boise foothills.

Obviously we won’t be camping anymore and our outdoor recreation is limited at best.  We just hope that the loss of lives and property are kept to a minimum and that the firefighters are able to get a handle on it soon.  In the meantime we are hopeful that no more fires start up as dry lightning has been a constant threat. 

We have a lot of family in the Ellensburg, Cle Elum and Roslyn areas where the Tower Bridge fire is in Washington.  I think their situation is more precarious than ours, of course, and so far my family is alright.  There has been a tremendous loss of property there.  Those towns have really banded together to help each other out and round up stray livestock.  The human spirit is quite amazing isn’t it? 

Come on rain!