The smoke has arrived here on Vancouver Island :( So close to make it through forest fire season without seeing smoke. It's also not lost on me that I never saw forest fire smoke here until 10 to 15 years ago. There never really was a forest fire season growing up here as a kid (like be care it's forest fire season, but not a "there's smoke everywhere" season.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,717
The smoke has arrived here on Vancouver Island :( So close to make it through forest fire season without seeing smoke. It's also not lost on me that I never saw forest fire smoke here until 10 to 15 years ago. There never really was a forest fire season growing up here as a kid (like be care it's forest fire season, but not a "there's smoke everywhere" season.
It's strange to think of large, smokey fires up your way. I lived on the other side of the strait from Vancouver Island near Sequim/ Port Angels from 1992 to 1996 and never saw, heard of, or thought about big fires up there. I'm very sorry to hear about what's become more normal up there that way.
I moved back to my home state and have lived here in El Dorado County, California since 1996. Until about 5 years ago it was "I hope we don't get a big fire this year", and often did not. Now it's more like, "When will this first big fire hit us this year?" Every year now, it's the same thing- big fires and bad air for several weeks to as much as three months. I really need to get out of this place... but where? It's hard to imagine leaving the west coast, but it's all one big fire and drought disaster almost all up and down the west coast now. It's all terribly sad and depressing.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
The smoke has arrived here on Vancouver Island :( So close to make it through forest fire season without seeing smoke. It's also not lost on me that I never saw forest fire smoke here until 10 to 15 years ago. There never really was a forest fire season growing up here as a kid (like be care it's forest fire season, but not a "there's smoke everywhere" season.
It's strange to think of large, smokey fires up your way. I lived on the other side of the strait from Vancouver Island near Sequim/ Port Angels from 1992 to 1996 and never saw, heard of, or thought about big fires up there. I'm very sorry to hear about what's become more normal up there that way.
I moved back to my home state and have lived here in El Dorado County, California since 1996. Until about 5 years ago it was "I hope we don't get a big fire this year", and often did not. Now it's more like, "When will this first big fire hit us this year?" Every year now, it's the same thing- big fires and bad air for several weeks to as much as three months. I really need to get out of this place... but where? It's hard to imagine leaving the west coast, but it's all one big fire and drought disaster almost all up and down the west coast now. It's all terribly sad and depressing.
Actually, we don't get too many big fires on Vancouver Island (we seem to fair better than the rest of BC and the US). Our challenge is the fires are getting so big along the west coast, that the smoke drifts into our area. The fires can be pretty far away :(
Usually we're better than other parts because the wind usually moves to west to east, with fresh air off the pacific, but sometimes the winds (or lack of winds) can't allow smoke to drift here.
Right now I think it's coming from a fire in washington state that just sprung up :( (middle of the state, not on the coast), so it's travelling pretty quick.
On the positive I distinctly remember my dad taking me to Yellowstone after the fires in the late 80’s. I remember him saying someday when you bring your kids you won’t be able to tell this even happened.
this summer I did bring my kids and he was right. I can’t remember which sections of the park I saw back then but I looked when there this year and I couldn’t see anything obvious
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,717
The smoke has arrived here on Vancouver Island :( So close to make it through forest fire season without seeing smoke. It's also not lost on me that I never saw forest fire smoke here until 10 to 15 years ago. There never really was a forest fire season growing up here as a kid (like be care it's forest fire season, but not a "there's smoke everywhere" season.
It's strange to think of large, smokey fires up your way. I lived on the other side of the strait from Vancouver Island near Sequim/ Port Angels from 1992 to 1996 and never saw, heard of, or thought about big fires up there. I'm very sorry to hear about what's become more normal up there that way.
I moved back to my home state and have lived here in El Dorado County, California since 1996. Until about 5 years ago it was "I hope we don't get a big fire this year", and often did not. Now it's more like, "When will this first big fire hit us this year?" Every year now, it's the same thing- big fires and bad air for several weeks to as much as three months. I really need to get out of this place... but where? It's hard to imagine leaving the west coast, but it's all one big fire and drought disaster almost all up and down the west coast now. It's all terribly sad and depressing.
Actually, we don't get too many big fires on Vancouver Island (we seem to fair better than the rest of BC and the US). Our challenge is the fires are getting so big along the west coast, that the smoke drifts into our area. The fires can be pretty far away :(
Usually we're better than other parts because the wind usually moves to west to east, with fresh air off the pacific, but sometimes the winds (or lack of winds) can't allow smoke to drift here.
Right now I think it's coming from a fire in washington state that just sprung up :( (middle of the state, not on the coast), so it's travelling pretty quick.
Good deal! I'm glad it isn't affecting your area for a long time.
On the positive I distinctly remember my dad taking me to Yellowstone after the fires in the late 80’s. I remember him saying someday when you bring your kids you won’t be able to tell this even happened.
this summer I did bring my kids and he was right. I can’t remember which sections of the park I saw back then but I looked when there this year and I couldn’t see anything obvious
A very good point- for kids futures.
Just the other day, my wife and I were talking about how we will very likely not live to see the vast stretch of the El Dorado National Forest that was lost in the Caldor fire (221,835) last year, nor the acreage being lost right now in the Mosquito Fire (currently at 41,443 acres, 10% containment), both in our area. We based that on the fact that another fire in our area- the Cleveland Fire- is just recently starting to look like a forest again (although its perimeter is still visible because of tree sized differences) and that fire happened 30 years ago. It's unlikely either my wife or I will be alive in 30 years. But most kids growing up today will be, and perhaps they will see healthy forests in our area again.
It's hard for me to be optimistic about California for the relative short-term (in geologic time). Massive fires that only occurred once in a while things are now a new normal for late summer and much of fall here. What lies for the future mostly depends on what climate change does and how long the current "mega-drought" lasts- and droughts in this region can last several years or even decades.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
I sat and watched the smoke roll in on Saturday (coming from all over - more locally, the US, Vancouver Island). It was bright and sunny, and suddenly, at 5pm, I saw a wall of smoke slowly move across the world, and the wall slid across the sun. For a moment half the sun was bright and half the sun was dull orange. It was so weird.
Things are starting to clear now.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
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I lived on the other side of the strait from Vancouver Island near Sequim/ Port Angels from 1992 to 1996 and never saw, heard of, or thought about big fires up there. I'm very sorry to hear about what's become more normal up there that way.
It's all terribly sad and depressing.
this summer I did bring my kids and he was right. I can’t remember which sections of the park I saw back then but I looked when there this year and I couldn’t see anything obvious
A very good point- for kids futures.