Western Fire

[Dragonlady]

For the first time since I have lived here, fire has become a potential danger and the air quality has plummeted. It's almost at 300 - which is a very dangerous level - for all - not just those with compromised lung function. Even the mailman was wearing a mask.
There is ash all over everything (kind of like when Mt St Helen's blew) plus cloud of smoke settling down all over the area and the air smells like a campfire; it's kind of spooky. We have never had fire this close - sparks leaped over the Columbia and started a fire on the Washington side of the river. The fire was allegedly started by a couple of kids with fireworks originally in Oregon.
The wind, which has been blowing westerly is supposed to change direction tomorrow and blow in an easterly direction sending both fire and smoke in an easterly direction. We're making tentative plans to evacuate - just in case - hopefully it won't be necessary.
This is the hottest, driest summer in recent memory and there has been little rain - very unusual for the Evergreen state.

 

[Ruthanne]

Keeping you in prayer.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

I read that there is something like 75 forest fires burning in the west, and most of them are in the northern states, although California has fires, too.
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana are almost covered in smoke, and the pictures that I see on Facebook are awful.
Besides the fires, the air is full of soot and ashes, just like you are experiencing there in Vancouver, Dragonlady.
There are apparently a whole lot of fires in Canada also, and people are losing their homes because the fires are so close to populated areas.
http://www.khq.com/story/36285551/w...-shows-74-wildfires-burning-in-western-states

This picture shows the Columbia River Gorge (between Washington and Oregon) as it usually looks, and how it looks now with all of the fires burning there.

 

[WhatInThe]

Sadly I think most of these fires are from carelessness or arson. Which they should have never have happened or have been preventable. The Los Angeles fire seems to be grabbing most of the fire headlines of late.

 

[debbie in seattle]

I live about 10 miles north of Seattle and it's terrible. Doesn't help with all the heat and humidity we've been having this summer.

 

[Sunny]

Debbie, how awful. We lived for 18 wonderful years on Bainbridge Island, just west of Seattle. One of the things I liked the most was the beautiful, clean air quality. That picture posted by Happyflowerlady is the stuff of nightmares.

Do you happen to know if the fires have reached the western side of Puget Sound, or the islands, such as Bainbridge? Are the Olympics affected, and how about the Cascade Range, including Mt. Rainier?

Truly horrible news.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

Most of the high mountain areas of Montana have snow today, and that is helping to stop the fires. The radar map is also showing some snow in Idaho and Wyoming, and while this is a pretty early snowfall for them, it has been a blessing to help put out the fires.
Here is one picture of Montana, but there are a lot more pictures of the snow if you look on Facebook, and on the internet.

 

[jujube]

My sister lives in Seattle and she said the ash falling looks like snow and it's all over the place.

I know it's easy to say things have never been worse all over the country, but it's true.