Monday, October 22, 2007

Like a slab of bacon...

... I'm a bit smoky.

Thanx to the slew of brushfires currently aflame across parts of southern California since this past weekend. The Santa Ana winds have kicked up (as they usually do this time of year). With the dry weather we've had all year it was inevitable that these fires would easily spark up.

I woke up yesterday morning with winds howling like crazy, though the air was fairly cool. That didn't last long. By 11:00 AM you could begin to smell the hint of scorched timber. By 2:00 PM the once-clear sky turned a pungent grey and the sun was a glowing orange disc. By 3:00 PM the sun waxed a deep red before quickly waning to nothingness as the sky had transformed into an eerie shade of smokey pumpkin; flecks of ash flittering to the ground like a surreal snow flurry from hell. The air was caustic for several hours while the winds tried to decide which way to shift. Finally, the sky began to clear up a bit as it came close to sunset.

Today and tomorrow brings more winds (with gusts in certain areas as high as 90 MPH) and dry weather, before if finally starts to let up by the end of the week. Luckily, I don't live near the areas being affected. And I'm not at any serious risk (although two limbs from a tall eucalyptus tree right by my apartment came crashing down yesterday due to the winds).

I ask for urgent and fervent prayers for all of those who are directly affected by these fires.

No comments: