Fire, Fire Everywhere

Southern California is on fire again. People have been evacuated and at least 3 people have died so far as a direct result of the fire and/or smoke.Fire season is here again.

I live at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains so smoke just seems to accumulate here. Many of the fires start in the mountains also.

Last year there were fires in the mountains directly north of me; so close I could see the flames from my living room. So far the fire isn't very close, but I can still smell the smoke. However, there are fires west of me and east of me. The news reporter just said that some of the fires are arson related - how sad.

I don't know if living in Southern California for the past 15 years has contributed to or caused this condition, but whenever I smell smoke - cigarette, cigar, electrical, burning food - I continue to smell it for weeks even when there is no smoke or there is nothing burning. Before The Husband left for work, I began complaining about smelling cigarette smoke. At first, he said he smelled nothing, but because I kept complaining he said that he could smell it also. I didn't tell him that I knew what he had done to appease me. He called home to ask if I'd watch the news (I hadn't turned the tv on - I keep it off during the day on Mondays). Regular programing was preempted all day for new coverage about the numerous fires burning throughout the region. The Husband then attributed the phantom smell of smoke to my being very sensitive to smells. Sounds plausible. I smelled smoke all night and had a difficult time sleeping. When I stepped outdoors in the morning and the early evening I didn't smell any smoke at all. Just weird.

Anyway the Santa Ana winds (dry, gusty winds) are blowing all kinds of allergens and fanning fires. My sinuses are in for a workout.

I'll watch and pray as the water-dropping planes try to put out the fires and as homeowners wait on the side of the road trying to get home and evacuees look for a place to go. I know that there is always a chance that fire will threaten my home, but at the present I'm safe.

photo credit: by clownfish uploaded to flicker