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Saturday, July 16, 2016

Trying to go forward after the fire

I think my mind is still trying to process the catastrophic wildfire. I was riding along on my bike on a perfectly normal Saturday when I smelled smoke. Very soon, as I hurried home, ash was falling on me from an inferno started by transients who didn't put out their campfire. The fire was huge within an hour of starting, as you can see in the photo.

As you all know, we evacuated. At first, we couldn't even get into the nearest town because so many roads were closed. Then, a road to town opened, and we took it. The road wound below hills that were still burning. The dark brown line below the burning area was the fire retardant from a slurry bomber. It worked and held back the fire.

In town, the air was clear because the wind was blowing the smoke the other way. However, it was clear that it was a town under siege. Helicopters dipped their buckets into a reservoir.

So many helicopters were working that their paths sometimes almost crossed above the reservoir. What tiny little buckets compared to the huge fire!
Fire trucks from all over the west drove through the town. There were traffic jams of trucks full of firefighters. The firefighters were cheered, and none of them had to pay for anything they bought in town because townspeople stepped up to cover their bills everywhere.

The media also appeared everywhere, interviewing evacuated people as they tried to relax in coffee shops. They made their reports from in front of the reservoir.

At home, every photo that my trail cams captured of wildlife showed them moving fast in one direction or another. I'm sure that the smoke and aircraft noise was incredible. They looked like they were very stressed.

Our local firefighters were told to go home after the Feds took over the main fire fight. Local firefighters patrolled the evacuated areas for flaming embers flying into our area and starting spot fires. I can only imagine how scary all of this was to the wildlife. Here was Socks, a bear on a mission at the height of the fire. I'm so grateful that she is okay.
Our community seems to be trying hard to process all that happened. Citizens, including us, are checking every known camping area for campfires morning, noon, and night. I think that we'll all be on edge until we get a big rain.

I am also worrying about Shyla. I've learned a bit more about what happened the other night, and it could have been a sign of a rare form of epilepsy. We'll keep watching and hoping with all our hearts that it never happens again. She seems fine today - with her normal happy energy.
I guess we're still a bit shell-shocked. On the good news side, I am feeling better physically which is a big relief.

21 comments:

  1. That's a great idea to check for campfires left by idiots. That's been a problem down here too.

    Fingers crossed that Shyla doesn't have another recurrence, and I'm glad you're physically all right. That was a horrible experience.

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  2. It would certainly take me a very long time to process all that transpired during that fire. So glad it had a happy ending for your family. The stress of that experience could have triggered something with Shyla. So hoping you are wrong about the diagnosis:(

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  3. I'm really sorry about the forest fire! How scary and awful! I'm also sad to hear that Shyla had a weird episode! I hope it doesn't happen again! ((hugs))

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  4. I hope that Shyla's spasms were a once off, and not to happen again. More photos, I am in awe that you managed to get so many, and again, so glad you have somewhat recovered and are feeling better. And your bag, I think that was the best use ever, to have the doggie medications in one place, after all, it was ( I hope ) large enough for them and yours too. We keep ours in plastic lunch boxes, together in a cupboard, and if we have to leave in a hurry or the ambulance comes, they are all there. Also a list on the fridge, typed out, with neighbours names, phone numbers, family members, land line and mobile numbers, St John number, and our own mobile phone numbers. In a time of stress, it just gets too hard to remember it all. Hugs from NZ.XXX

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  5. Glad to hear you're feeling better! And my fingers are crossed Shyla had a one-time-only experience.

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  6. This is all so hugely scary to us and we're on the outside looking in. Our paws are crossed that this was a one time occurrence for you, Shyla.

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  7. thanks for the update, glad socks is ok and prayers for Shyla healing, glad you feel better today

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  8. We cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like to have lived through that. We are so glad you are OK and hope that most of the wildlife made it through unscathed.

    Paws crossed for Shyla.

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  9. Forest fires are very scary and I'm sure that everybody has a little PSTD from all of that! Sure hope Shyla continues to be her fun-loving self and that she doesn't have any more of those episodes. Glad to hear you are feeling better!

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  10. Those firefighters are heroes, that's for sure. The poor wildlife, you have to wonder how scary that is for them. I hope Shyla is OK, and the episode was a one off.

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  11. We sure hope Shyla's problem was just a one time thing. We're glad the bears seem okay.

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  12. I know first-hand how terrifying a seizure episode in a loved one can be. I'll never forget the night our daughter had her first seizure. I hope Shyla is well from now on! And I'm so happy to hear that you're feeling better.

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  13. We are keeping paws crossed still that Shyla is okay, and are very thankful you are all safe. I'm always amazed at how quickly firefighters can get to a fire.

    Monty, Harlow and Ramble

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  14. Glad you are felling better and hope Shyla's problem is an isolated incident. We think it will take a long time to totally process that fire.

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  15. We're happy to hear you are feeling better and Shyla hasn't had a recurrence of her spasms. Your shots of the helicopters are very cool and we hope they don't have to come back ever.

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  16. Oh my gosh, we are stressed just from reading about what you went through! It drives me nuts when people do not extinguish their campfire properly. I am so glad you all are all right!

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  17. My goodness, yes, it sure takes quite a while to process what you just went through. I wasn't here for a long time so was completely out of the look and quite shocked when I read the last few posts. I'm glad that you're okay, and I hope that Shyla is okay as well. Her spasms sound very odd - hopefully it doesn't occur again.
    I simply don't understand how someone can camp and not put out the campfire. How stupid can one be?

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  18. I am sorry for what you have had to experience, every little bit that you have expressed.
    I wish you just the right amount of rain.
    sending prayers and light to you and your pup.

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  19. What a scary time! Wildfires cause such destruction. We are always hoping for rain in hte mountains which has been sparse this summer. Poor Shyla. I hope it isn't epilepsy - I had a setter who had seizures.

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  20. I can't imagine how scary that would have been. I have been a bit scared of fire since seeing a furniture factory burn when I was 3. Forest fires have been on my mind a lot due to the devastating fires in Alberta this year. I hope everyone is safe.

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  21. Fire is so scary, and we can't imagine the stress. Hoping that it was just a onetime incident for Shyla. We have a burn ban here now - no open campfires but there are always those stupid people that don't follow the law.

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