Scary Stuff

This is not the not the sight one wishes to see, but one we all fear.  It had been a pretty uneventful day.  I'd been back and forth in front of the front door any number of times, always glancing out to see what critters were cruising through.  In late afternoon, I noticed the sky had a strange color and stepped outside.  From the doorway, the big oak blocked my view of this column of smoke rising in the southwest.  It's difficult to judge distance, but the fire was too close, regardless, and it was a big one.  The TV news had already picked it up so I was able to find out that the location was over on Sand Ridge Road, closer to Plymouth than El Dorado, near Highway 49.  Reported to be about 40 acres when this photo was taken, it jumped to 300 in what seemed like minutes, and is now at 1,300 acres.

It's easy to see how the base of the smoke column spread in just a couple of hours.  Homes have burned and many people have been evacuated to Placerville.  As always, I think of the wildlife that will be killed.

Glow from the flames was clearly visible after dark, and they danced in my dreams last night.

God bless the firefighters.  They are working in triple-digit weather, in addition to what must be unbelievable heat near the fire.  Scary stuff, this.