Indians Fire Ventana Wilderness

I have recently been asked for an update on the new fires in my region. We have had a very dry spring. Little rain. That makes the bushes and grasses easily sparked by lightning.

As long as I stay inside and use my nebulizer, it doesn't bother my asthma much. I have a small air conditioner in the bedroom and I can hole up in there with my books, cats, computer, and TV if necessary.

They are calling it the Indians Fire. Not sure why they call it that. It's in the Ventana Wilderness area, which is at least 40 miles away. Even from that distance, the smoke spreads over the region including where I live. And this fire has been burning for a week. The picture above shows when the smoke was mostly over the ocean.

It's presently at about 10,000 acres.  It's more brush and grass than than trees, they say, and because it's in a more uninhabited area not easy to stop.

Locally, over a thousand have been evacuated. Though it is a smaller fire than the other one, it involves Redwood trees. I am saddened that there are fires at all, but also saddened that the trees are being burned.

So, to answer the question. I'm fine.

Still, to me, this is all nothing compared to the floods that seem to have taken over the middle of the country right now.

Graffiti Art?

I saw an interesting video today about "Reverse Graffiti". I couldn't figure out what that meant when I first saw the phrase.

I looked up definitions of graffiti. (see below) But, found little to match my idea of it. Today, graffiti has a whole different connotation. It's art, in a way. Even though it is illegal, there are those who wish to express themselves by spray painting (usually) either their personal symbol of their name or some other depiction. There are those who might create a whole, or partial mural.

Definitions of graffiti include:
"scratches, letters and other marks scratched on the surface of a coin in ancient times to identify its owner"

"a rude decoration inscribed on rocks or walls"

"The words or pictures scrawled or scratched in public places, particularly on walls - could be political messages, personal notes, advertising, curses amongst others."

"Graffiti can take the form of art, drawings, or words, and is illegal vandalism when done without the property owner's consent. Its origin can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece."

All that being said, just take a look at the following video.

Summit Fire Containment

The Fire is completely contained. They are now spreading seed.

Jim Sienkiewicz, Photographer - From his website

Hopefully, it will grow enough brush that next winter when the big rains come, there will be minimal mud slides.

Summit Fire Containment

Capitola, California after the rain

The fire is 70 percent contained. It helped that we had some rain and lower temperatures.

So things are pretty much back to normal now.

It seems no matter what part of the country/world we live in there is some kind of natural phenomena occurring that we all need to deal with.

I don't like the fires and mudslides where I live, or the earthquakes, though I have never had to deal with a Big One.

But, I wouldn't trade for the sub zero winter weather I experienced when I lived in New York state, and the tornadoes of Indiana.

Summit Fire Update

I thought by going up to San Francisco, I would escape from the worst of the smoke. But, when I came home, I discovered it was still bad enough that I had trouble breathing.

How would you like to have this hanging over your head?

I had to call my lung doctor and have him order a nebulizer for me. First time I've ever had to use one. I've always managed with my hand held inhalers. But, things are improving.

At least it is not as hot as it was. The temperature has dropped and we are having a little bit of rain, so this makes it easier on the firefighters. Hopefully they can get the fire contained!

I hate to see the forest decimated like this. In the winter and spring when we get heavy rains there is nothing to prevent mudslides when the trees and brush are gone.

I'm home now with windows closed and air filters on. It's tolerable. Wind is blowing in other direction and has slowed down quite a bit.