Another Fire Day

The freeway re-opened yesterday, so I was able to get to the Valley to visit my parents and boyfriend. Today, I'm still feeling the effects of the bad air. My snot is still grayish from all of the ash and it hurts to take a deep breath.

I tried to get my parents to come home with me. My dad has emphysema and is probably going to end up back in the hospital due to breathing all of that gunk, but they refused to leave. They won't even close the doors and turn the air conditioner on. The bottom of their pool is black from ash. I'm guessing their lungs look the same.

While in the Valley, I made a drug buy, my first. It was embarrassing. I took my mom on a Costco run and sneaked into the cigarette cage to buy a carton for my dad. I hate being an enabler and doing something that is going to make my dad sicker, but at age 87, he has the right to live his life as he sees fit. He needs cigarettes like a heroin addict needs heroin.

This morning, as soon as I sort of woke up, I clicked on the TV to check on the fire. My eyes weren't open yet. I was just going to listen to the news. Instead of broadcasters speaking, there was just an annoying sound. It was the emergency alert system.

Bolting upright, I squinted at the screen. Was it saying this is not a test? Scooting to the foot of the bed to get a better look, I saw the screen say this was a test. What a way to wake up.

Now wide awake, I got up, got dressed and walked to the end of the street to get a better look at the fire. I already knew it was bad. From my house, I could see smoke billowing. It also hadn't escaped my notice that my house kept vibrating from the helicopters flying overhead.

The wind direction has changed. The wind is now blowing the fire down the mountain towards Sand Canyon, an area of multi-million dollar homes. I'm still upwind from the fire, but feel uneasy. I watched a super scooper dropping orange fire retardant on the hillsides and helicopters making water drops. I assume that ground crews are in place to put out spot fires. The area is thick with oak trees and brush. With so much to burn, the fire could easily overwhelm the firefighters.

If the wind changes a bit more, the embers could be flying towards my house. I may have to drop the dogs off someplace before going to work today, just for peace of mind.