We had some residual wildfire smoke in the air as Baxter and I began this morning’s walk and it got me thinking. Wildfires throughout the west continue to spread devastation to the lives and property of those in their path. The impacts also reach beyond the actual flames and into neighboring communities.
We have new neighbors in the long term rental house across the street from us. A retired couple who abandoned their southern Oregon home to wait out the fire season here because of the poor air quality where they normally reside. Folks impacted from the 2018 Paradise Fire have relocated and purchased/are seeking homes in our area. A woman from Sonoma county with an autoimmune disease relocated to Eureka (30 miles south of us) and was recently quoted by the media stating, that she could no longer handle the stress from the annual fires.
A close friend just shared a gofundme.com page for friends who, one week ago, lost it all in the River Complex Fire. Insurance and federal assistance don’t apply because for the last 20 years this couple were caretakers of a resort property owned by someone else. They lost their jobs and all their possessions including clothing, household items, and family photographs and memorabilia. In the movie Leap Year, (one of my favorite “chick flicks”) a character asks, “if you’ve got 60 seconds to grab what’s most important to you, what would that be?” A great question for all of us to think about. I’ve included a copy of the go fund me page if you want to help.
Fire and hurricane season are reminders of how quickly life can change. Count your blessings and send positive vibes or prayers to the folks who are starting over and/or lost family members, beloved pets, livestock and their material possessions. A friend recently posted a helpful emergency preparation list that I am also sharing in this post (thank you Becky). Planning for disaster is not a sexy exercise and I too am guilty of not addressing it. Maybe it’s time to get serious.
Enjoy today’s pics. Tomorrow we kayak! #iluvtowalk #trinidadcalifornia #humboldtcounty #humboldt #naturaldisasters
Perspectives From My Trail 