June 22, 2007
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wildfire and smoke update
UPDATE:
11:00 AM
It’s raining! Suddenly, with some of the ash washed out of the air, it looks like daylight out there.
In case you missed last night’s post about the smoky atmospheric conditions on our water run yesterday, here’s a picture Doug took from the top of the bluff by the spring:
Late last night, as the solstice sun was hanging over the horizon, we got a respite from the smoke when the wind shifted. For a few hours, it blew from the east, down out of the Talkeetna Mountains, the only direction in which there are no fires now. With some clear sky overhead, I could see the big plume of smoke rising high into the sky in a swirl over the Trapper Lake fire, and a lower, more diffuse plume over the Susitna River.
By the time I awoke today, we were in the smoke clouds again. Doug’s voice was hoarse as he went off toward his bed a few minutes ago. My throat is scratchy, my eyes burn, and I can feel the tickle of an impending sneeze. I have to keep reminding myself to take a deep breath occasionally, because I’m instinctively breathing shallowly.
The Su River fire is west of the river, we are east, and it hadn’t jumped the river at the most recent report I found, from The Frontiersman, four hours ago. People around Trapper Lake were evacuated yesterday, and some buildings had burned, but mostly what is burning here is the forest.
Yesterday some tankers of retardant out of Anchorage were diverted to the Valley from the Kenai Peninsula, where a big fire at Caribou Lake is still spreading. A fire crew from Fairbanks flew down to the Kenai to fight that one. Ten Hot Shot crews from the Lower 48 were ordered up here yesterday, and are probably on the fire lines right now.
I know it should be full daylight now, but not much light is getting through, lots darker than yesterday. I just stepped out into an open area to scan the sky, and couldn’t see any bright spot to indicate the sun’s position. It’s eerie. I hope some of that is cloud cover, not all smoke. Weather guessers give us a 40% chance of precip, but with an expectation of only a minuscule amount of rain. It isn’t very windy, which I’m sure the firefighters appreciate.
Later….
Comments (9)
yaaay!!!!
RAIN…
finger crossed that you do get some rain…
btw..that pic you posted of the first spring flowers, the one you couldn’t identify… i’m thinking gooseberries/currants. what do you think?
Be careful with your breathing.
Hooray for rain. And while I told you to try not to breathe, I didn’t think you’d take me that seriously!
I’m just catching up, wow. What a shame. Climate change and now wildfires in your beautiful “paradise” (said with some knowledge of pros and cons but seems the pros outweigh…)I am glad for your rain and hope it continues. It is supposed to get close to 100 next week here but connecticut is not in any danger just yet. My beautiful leyland cypress trees have some kind of frothy spittle bug infection. Damn.
Hope you get lots of rain. What a scary experience! I hope people stay safe, and no homes are destroyed.
I hate forest fires..my son has fought them now for about 7 years and every year they seem to get bigger. He works for DNR but takes time off to fight the fires. I worry all summer about him….You guys stay safe,
mary
My goodness…it seems very frightening to me. All that is at…you and all of your community are in my meditations daily. May The Power that loves and guides show consideration to ALL that could/can/will be lost. It is difficult to understand things, such as this fire, but I continue to work daily in trust and faith.
Hugs…
oh shit! hope you all keep safe in those conditions and glad to see the update that its raining,