As I’ve alluded for the past few weeks, Northern Fornicalia just can’t seem to catch a break because of all the fires. Iran said “we” (the U.S.) would burn. Are their minions here purposely setting fires?
I am besieged by smoke not only at work in Sacramento, but at home too.
Thursday, July 10th in Sacramento, it was 111-degrees on our work thermometer, the air was stagnant, unmoving, overcast and humid. Particulate matter floated. I could no longer see the tower at Mather Airport. Visibility was roughly half a mile. The air conditioner at work provided only a cooler flavor of smoke. You could taste it.
My eyes still run red. They tear up constantly. My throat burns. I cannot get away. I have a massive throbbing headache as I write this. There is no escape.
When I got home Thursday night, the air was stale inside my house, stagnant, hot, 88-degrees, and smelled of smoke. I have no air-conditioning and rely upon the cool night to vacate the old air from my house like a Whole House Fan. It’s cooler out there now; just profligate with smoke.
It was so hot inside the house I actually preferred the smell of smoke to the depleting heat. I have box fans blowing the stale hot air out as I write this paragraph. I am trading it for “hopefully” cooler smoky air. What a choice. And oh yes, I am drinking cold Grey Goose vodka and Squirt. It seems to be smoothing out the rough edges for me, even as I write this. Otherwise I couldn’t stand to be here. I will be abandoning my cabin tomorrow. Fuck this. I can’t breathe. I need cooler air. I’m thinking it’s time to actually spend the money I make and install a new HVAC system in this 1980 cabin. Then I could run the place on two energy systems: propane and electricity.
Included is a map of Fornicalia smoke plume areas.
Scuttlebutt at the local store is that the flames from the Blue Canyon fire are visible and only a few ridges from Moody Ridge — about 5 miles from my house.
I’ve started taking some things down in my Toyota RAV-4 to the wife’s house. What to take? I ask. What’s important? How can I decide with a Lifetime of history stashed in my home? How to triage what’s truly valuable?
Because triage I must. Best to do it now instead of later. I don’t know for a fact I’m definitely targeted. But I’d be a fool to assume I am not, that the fires aren’t coming directly for my forehead. And my house. And everything I hold valuable, worked, sweated, toiled, bled for the past number of years. And obviously I am not the only one in this predicament. There are many of us Mountain People up here. Older people. Families with children.
The fire coming for me is called the American River Complex.
Should I be fearful? Or simply resigned?
I can only hope that CalFire decides to fight like Frothing Bastards for my area because, if they lose me, they lose my entire local CalFire response station and its adjoining reservoir for bucket dipping.
BZ
Dang BZ…I hope that your neck of the woods remains as pristine as it can. I hadn’t seen a map of the destruction before today, and I have family in mexifornia!
What a mess.
BZ,…As you I live here in California. I’ve never lost a house but I’ve lost horses and other animals and it sucks.
I wish only the best for you and your property, be safe.
Unlike many, I love California and I hate to see it burn.
Amazing that the most liberal state in the union has the worst pollution, the worst natural disasters, and the most homelessness. I’m sorry you have to live with the consequences of the foolishness of others.
I hope you remain safe. As for having to decide what to take out of the house look at it as an excellent chance to downsize and cull your collections. Not that it helps much but at least you get to look at it in a positive light.
I honestly wish you and ALL concerned nothing but the best…
That said, Cali would be looking damned good in a rear view mirror…
I love living here, too…we do not have the worst pollution; even LA is 80% better than when I was in high school..it’s rare these days, tell you the truth, in most areas.
BZ…you really have my sympathies as it sounds so terrible up there…..
Until people realize all our States have too many illegals and that every State needs better planning for disasters, this country’s doomed.
Good luck, BZ….be careful.
Dang, BZ
Home looks a bit rough right now.
Hey dude, I’m heading to the Bay area and maybe the Sac area the last week in July. Let me know if you’re around.
Gawfer: when your visit gets closer, drop me an e-mail and we’ll see if we can visit. Maybe, just maybe the smoke will begin to dissipate because there really IS some beautiful stuff to see.
BZ
b.z. – my husband’s and my own family (approx. 70 people) live in butte county, some very near chico and paradise and others so. butte county – do you ever feel like your state is under some sort of punishment?
BZ : Thoughts and prayers are with you. I did lose a home to fire 30+ years ago, and to this day I miss the pictures I couldn’t save. It was difficult ,even back then to replace things like birth certificates, mortgage papers, etc. However, the most important part of this is you,the wife and pets…y’all please stay safe.
I’ve been through two house fires, BZ, and it’s horrible! I pray you don’t lose your beloved home, but above all that you stay safe.
That picture looks like Los Angeles back in the 60’s! Gross! Get somewhere where you can breathe freely. This can’t be good for your lungs.
I’ve wondered about those fires myself. Are we to believe this is all mother nature? Seems like a bit of a stretch to me. 🙁
Are you sure this isn’t a lost Japanese invasion, with soldiers not knowing the war is over?
Do keep a watch out and remember: no matter how much you like the property, the lives of you and those you care for come first.
Nanc: yes, we are being punished, for permitting the stupidy of the Enviros and Religious Left to go on completely unchecked.
BZ
Please pray for ol’ Z…I’m trying to get the guts to post something about the very subject you, Gayle and Nanc are discussing here.
Sunday. (oy!)
I wouldn’t guess it’d be anymore than tornado ravaged Oklahoma or Arkansas.
elbro – i believe it’d have to be worse in a place where the majority of the people don’t know their maker or what is coming upon them and why. you won’t hear the same stories here as you hear in cali – i can attest to that as our daughter and her family have served over 600 helpless and homeless people in the last month due to the fires and otherwise. the people who once donated are now those who need a helping hand.
We hear stories on TV news here all the time about amazing people doing great things for those in shelters, etc. Amazing gestures.
BZ…how’re you doing? Things clearing up at ALL? I hope so, have really been thinking about you and hoping the best…very soon.
elbro – i believe it’d have to be worse in a place where the majority of the people don’t know their maker or what is coming upon them and why.
really? what about Eureka Springs?
It’s ridiculous to suggest that one state would be under more judgement…I would agree with you that God certainly would not be happy with out country as a whole but your assertions about California are kinda weird
are the people in Iowa more or less offensive to God than in California?
We haven’t had any natural disasters here where I live…must mean God is more pleased with us than in Oklahoma…
the whole idea is silly
elbro – for the sake of argument, i believe the entire nation is under judgment. some places more than others and some less – some being more deserving and some less.
you really should read tmw’s post on heart matters.
i can only go on my having spent over 40 years in cali, being born and reared there.
as you know my gigundous family are mostly (99%) catholic. i can count on one hand the people who ever witnessed to me in a christian manner (via the way they lived) and all other times there was plenty of witnessing by mormons and gehova witlesses.
sorry to have offended you so.
you didn’t offend me…I’m not mad
I’m simply disagreeing with you
I lived in California for over 10 years but it doesn’t mean squat..it’s anecdotal at best..I don’t discount your experience but I don’t find your assertions sound based solely on your experience…
for e.g. you don’t know every Christian in California…
much as you wouldn’t find any of my assertions based on my experiences the means to justify making any other assertion
nor do I take my experiences alone to determine what I think is God’s judgement on a certain group of people
I disagree with this theology based in part on some of the reasons I left at geeez
We’ve disagreed before, I don’t take it personal nor should you