26 May 2014

The Smoke is Back

We awoke to more smoke and ash this morning; the skies are amber and the sunlight is thin, and discolored.

The smoke has spread as far north/northeast as Tok, some 350 miles from the fire. Breathing problems abound in Anchorage and the Mat-Su, but those in the fire zone have it far worse. Many of them have been displaced by the fire, and are staying in shelters now. There's a call out for supplies from the Red Cross.

We'll be leaving the windows closed again today, despite expected temps in the 60s. The weather forecast includes rain in the upcoming week, including tomorrow. Since we've had almost no rain at all in three months, it will be most welcome. The hundreds of firefighters battling the rapidly spreading fire on the Kenai Peninsula could use it, too.

We'll be heading to Cabela's in a bit, but I want to take one more opportunity to thank the families of our fallen servicemen and women, who gave their last, full measure of devotion for the rest of us.

Remember what our freedom has cost.

13 comments:

OldAFSarge said...

We remember.

You and yours stay safe, Rev.

PioneerPreppy said...

I guess that's one big advantage of having roads everywhere the fires don't seem to spread as bad. During our dry periods we get forest fires but you really can't go more than a hundred acres or so in any direction without running into a gravel road that acts like a fire break.

Rev. Paul said...

Thank you, Sarge. You, too.

Preppy, we have hundreds of thousands of square miles with no roads whatsoever. Nothing to stop the fire except the occasional body of water.

Old NFO said...

Amen, and thank you for remembering.

Rev. Paul said...

How could I not, NFO?

Keads said...

We remember Sir!

threecollie said...

Hope you get some rain and it goes out. It must be awful to live with all that smoke. Finally made the news here.

Rev. Paul said...

Thanks, Kelly.

Rev. Paul said...

threecollie, I'd rather have the smoke than to evacuate due to fire. But there's rain in the forecast for the next several days, so ... with luck ...

Sandy Livesay said...

Rev. Paul,

Thank you for for remembering our Veteran's. We spent the morning remembering and honoring our Veteran's too.

Come on rain!!!!

Rev. Paul said...

I are one, Sandy. :) Makes it a bit harder to forget, but it's about those who never made it back. I went down, but am a bit too stubborn & did come back.

LUCKY said...

Took the kiddos to a local cemetery and cleaned off the graves of veterans buried there. Listened to a bugler play taps and I realized that is one of the few melodies that will make me cry, each and every time.

Rev. Paul said...

Hey Lucky - welcome back! And yeah, "Taps" makes me cry every time, too.