I looked up into the sky last night and it was gone. All there was to see was a reddish orb laying low in the trees to tell me that the earth was still where it was supposed to be. It had not slipped into another dimension as I had initially thought, but gone were the blue skies of the first day of August here in the Pacific Northwest.
My thoughts went to what it must be like for the folks on the mainland. The heavy toxic smoke hugging the valleys as it drifts downward toward the ocean. To all of the displaced people evacuated (currently in the 7,000 range) from the danger zones. To the brave men and women from all over Canada, The USA, Mexico, Australia, and who knows where else they come from. To risk their long term health, limbs and life to fight these fires.
This is the third worst fire season on record for BC. It may be the worst yet, as the rains don't usually come till late September and sometimes a month later than that. Since the beginning of the BC "fire season", (I remember only four seasons being taught in school) which started at the beginning of April this year (no fool'n) there have been over 800 fires and close to 18,000 square miles of forest, homes, farms and businesses...mostly forest...destroyed.
Some undoubtedly started by lightning but the majority by careless, thoughtless, reckless hikers, campers and off road enthusiasts. For some reason campers and smokers carry the burden of blame from the government. Yet what can the government do? What should they do?
I think of the practice in Germany I had heard about years ago. The citizens clear the underbrush from their forests to protect them from fire. Volunteerism on a noble scale no doubt, but is it possible in the vastness of the Canadian wilderness forests? No, of course not.
These fires are simply part of the way things are in the ever changing weather patterns of our dear Mother Earth. There will always be periods of drought somewhere and there will always be careless people. And carefree lightning. As above, so below. We humans are merely standing between them. Some of us in the wrong place...at the wrong time. {;-)>
These fires and their costs are not the most tragic thing happening, right at this moment, in the world. I'm blessed by the fact that I live in a place and a country where we can, and many do choose, to give of themselves in joining the effort of countless millions who live and strive to make this hostile planet more hospitable and kind. Kindness is not just a human trait but our kindness toward each other and the rest of the planet can go so much further...still.
So a prayer for those less fortunate. To those brave souls who put themselves in harm's way in the seemingly futile attempt to hold back the tide of time and circumstance. It's the best we can do. Pray we, as a species, get better at being more humane to our Mother...this Earth.