Well, It's Started Again..... fire season has arrived

[Misschief]

British Columbia, and probably Washington and Oregon as well, is on fire again. And tonight's forecast has the possibility of lightning. This is the home page of our local city website tonight.

And these are just a few of the current fires. It's going to be bad.

 

[The_Phoenix]

Yikes. We're also bracing for a heavy fire season, though ours doesn't really get real until September. The heat you northeasterners are experiencing is unreal. Stay safe!!

 

[Misschief]

Yikes. We're also bracing for a heavy fire season, though ours doesn't really get real until September. The heat you northeasterners are experiencing is unreal. Stay safe!!

Thank you... we're fine but definitely concerned. The fires aren't close to us at this point and we hope they stay away but everything is tinder dry.

 

[lenarenee]

Thank you... we're fine but definitely concerned. The fires aren't close to us at this point and we hope they stay away but everything is tinder dry.

Yikes. We're also bracing for a heavy fire season, though ours doesn't really get real until September. The heat you northeasterners are experiencing is unreal. Stay safe!!

Keep plenty of air conditioner filters on hand, and N95 masks if you can get them. Our area was lucky last year to be only "dry" and didn't have any massive fires. This year is a whole different story and I'm dreading it. That reminds me we need to get prepared to evacuate, just in case.

 

[Catscankim]

Our dry/wildfire season is definitely minuscule compared to yours. Keeping you in my thoughts.

 

[lenarenee]

Update? How are things going now?

 

[SPowers]

It's ridiculous out west... my son works in northern Aberta but his family are in Smithers, BC. Stay safe!

 

[Misschief]

Update? How are things going now?

One small town, Lytton, has been pretty much decimated by a fire that may have been sparked by a train (speculation at this point). Lytton is known for being Canada's hot spot on a regular basis and set several heat records this summer, both local and national. Apparently, several other towns are being threatened.

Where we are, we can smell the smoke and sunrises and sunsets have been spectacular because of the smoke. At this time, there have been several small fires that have been quickly doused thankfully.

Here's a pic of yesterday's sunrise (5:15 a.m).



Here's an article, with pictures, of the town of Lytton.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7996986/in-photos-lytton-bc-fire-aftermath/

 

[DKing]

And for our American friends, Lytton hit a high of 49.6 C the day before the fire ripped through...which is the equivalent of 121 F. The people only had a very short time to escape the flames and sadly not all did. We didn't get quite as hot here where we live, but were quite close. I am not sure about you @Misschief but my backyard is pretty much just dead and dry grass now. I did manage to keep my veggies alive, although some are a little scorched and some of my plants started dropping blossoms and peppers got sun scorch, but all did a lot better than I expected through the heat. I ate a couple of cherry tomatoes right off the plant and they tasted cooked. We have gone over our plan for evacuation if things light up near here and it won't be the first time we have been in this situation. My heart goes out to all who have to endure these fires and to the fire fighters who have to work in such unbearable heat.

 

[Misschief]

And for our American friends, Lytton hit a high of 49.6 C the day before the fire ripped through...which is the equivalent of 121 F. The people only had a very short time to escape the flames and sadly not all did. We didn't get quite as hot here where we live, but were quite close. I am not sure about you @Misschief but my backyard is pretty much just dead and dry grass now. I did manage to keep my veggies alive, although some are a little scorched and some of my plants started dropping blossoms and peppers got sun scorch, but all did a lot better than I expected through the heat. I ate a couple of cherry tomatoes right off the plant and they tasted cooked. We have gone over our plan for evacuation if things light up near here and it won't be the first time we have been in this situation. My heart goes out to all who have to endure these fires and to the fire fighters who have to work in such unbearable heat.

Our yard is the same @DKing. We moved a few of our pots closer to the house where they'll get a little more shade. We feel pretty lucky so far and, yeah, I can't imaginge fighting the fires in the weather we're having. It's hard enough for us to be outdoors in this heat and we don't have to work in it.

My heart goes out to the people who have, quite literally, lost everything. I read of one man who left without a shirt on his back; he had no time to even get dressed or grab his wallet. It's heartbreaking.

 

[DKing]

@Misschief I have most of my tomatoes in 66 litre (17 gallon) containers this year, and most are over my head already so I wasnt convinced I would be keeping them alive. My son and I pulled them off of our deck to try to shade them as well as we could by placing them right next to the house where they would have morning sun but early afternoon and on they would be shaded. I think it made all of the difference for them. If I had left them on the deck in their regular places, they would be scorched. One of my tomatoes I did leave on the deck close to the house and some of the growing tips scorched but it will recover. We are pretty lucky for sure!! Last year near my house someone threw a cigarette out and lit the ground near BM Elementary on fire, but fortunately it was put out quickly. This year I am not so sure that they would have had the same success. Fingers crossed everyone uses good judgement.
Did you hear about the couple in Lytton that tried to hide in a hole? Their son watched a telephone pole explode and land right on top of them. I can't even imagine the PTSD he is going to have after all of this. From the sounds of his description, he barely escaped himself. My heart breaks for everyone in that town that are now homeless, lost family, precious pets and important momentoes. Sure, they will probably get insurance but who would want ot rebuild on scorched land? I am feeling very fortunate right now but definitely on high alert as we have some potential thunderstorms on the way so it might be us next.

 

[sharoncarpenter2]

I just moved all of my (newly replaced) soap making supplies to my new yurt on the hill overlooking my burned home. we lost everything I have ever owned last August in the CZU fires. an off the grid home my husband built where we raised my 3 kids and lived for over 30 years. we had to move into a room at my sons' home and one of the first things I bought was new soap making supplies (everything, my entire off the grid community burned completely to ash) and kept up my soap to distract from the enormous shock and loss. All of my soaps have a pinch of redwood ash now. We are now back on our property and on Tuesday I am going to try my first campstove batches! (real stove coming in a few weeks- woohoo!) Be safe out there everyone. Fire can be so completely devastating.

 

[Misschief]

I just moved all of my (newly replaced) soap making supplies to my new yurt on the hill overlooking my burned home. we lost everything I have ever owned last August in the CZU fires. an off the grid home my husband built where we raised my 3 kids and lived for over 30 years. we had to move into a room at my sons' home and one of the first things I bought was new soap making supplies (everything, my entire off the grid community burned completely to ash) and kept up my soap to distract from the enormous shock and loss. All of my soaps have a pinch of redwood ash now. We are now back on our property and on Tuesday I am going to try my first campstove batches! (real stove coming in a few weeks- woohoo!) Be safe out there everyone. Fire can be so completely devastating.

I'm so sorry to read this, Sharon. I'm happy that you've kept up your soapmaking and I love how you're adding a pinch of the redwood ash.

My heart hurts when I hear of the devastation; we're becoming too familiar with wildfires here on the entire west coast. It's so heart breaking, both to see the decimation of the forests as well as the cost in life and property.

 

[dibbles]

@sharoncarpenter2 I’m sorry to read of your devastating loss, especially of the things that can’t be replaced. Best wishes to you as you move forward in rebuilding your home.

 

[KimW]

@sharoncarpenter2 , my heart breaks for you, goes out to you and will dwell on you and your rebuilding.

 

[earlene]

I just moved all of my (newly replaced) soap making supplies to my new yurt on the hill overlooking my burned home. we lost everything I have ever owned last August in the CZU fires. an off the grid home my husband built where we raised my 3 kids and lived for over 30 years. we had to move into a room at my sons' home and one of the first things I bought was new soap making supplies (everything, my entire off the grid community burned completely to ash) and kept up my soap to distract from the enormous shock and loss. All of my soaps have a pinch of redwood ash now. We are now back on our property and on Tuesday I am going to try my first campstove batches! (real stove coming in a few weeks- woohoo!) Be safe out there everyone. Fire can be so completely devastating.

I am so sorry you lost your home and so much of your memorabilia as well as your soapmaking supplies. My brother & SIL lost their ducks, chickens in the CZU fires last year. They had time to evacuate, but did not have enough time to gather and save their animals on their property. They had already lost a house in 2018 in the Camp fire, so I worry that they still want to stay. I used to live in the Santa Cruz mountains, and have known redwood trees my entire life. To return to the area as I often do, is to return home.

 

[SPowers]

So sorry to hear of your loss! You sound positive and upbeat now but I can't imagine how it is to go through something like that!