394

Across the street, through our window-- smoke-filled sky from Canadian wildfires block the hillside view across the river — on Flickr

Daily Note

Every day, a photograph, a poem. Across the street, through our window– smoke-filled sky from Canadian wildfires block the hillside view across the river. This is what it should look like:

rainbow across the river over yonder hillside — on Flickr

There are hundreds of wildfires in Canada right now. West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund emphasizes the catastrophe, ““We fought 100 years of fires all in one night.” [Politico, Canadian firefighters wage epic battle to save communities after mass evacuations]. This is climate change.

Unfortunately, instead of joining together to fight for the future of humanity, the “unwoke” just open their Bibles and say, “See, it says this in the Bible; it’s the end times.” Rather than fight for their grandchildren’s futures, they deny the catastrophe, the human problems and solutions, and humanity itself. I wonder, since the end times take thousands of years, wouldn’t you like to give your grandchildren and great-grandchildren a chance to live in a somewhat better environment than just ignoring that we do have solutions to climate change and global warming?

We’re in a transitional phase right now where we could find our way out, but not with the right-wing of the GOP and those who believe their “woke” conspiracies interfering with the solutions that intelligent people have implemented and passed as laws. If this were a science fiction movie, we’d have heroes and an awakening. But it’s not science fiction, it’s science in a universe where we seem to be the only voice, a voice that will go silent if we don’t take a stance now.

So today, our little coulee is inundated with smoke from the Canadian fires, just as the East Coast was earlier this summer. Summer. We don’t have summers any more. Our four seasons are autumn, winter, spring, and fire.

Why do we have so many wildfires? It’s not Biblical; it’s science.

The risk and extent of wildfires in the western United States is growing because of climate change. Snow is melting earlier in the spring leading to soils and forests that are drier, and stay dry longer. This leads to wildfires that can burn hotter and spread faster. Climate change causes forest fuels (the trees and plants that burn and spread wildfire) to be drier and more easily ignited.

The number of large fires has doubled between 1984 and 2015 in the western United States.
Washington Department of Ecology on Wildfire Risks/Climate Change

The smoke from these fires flow with the air currents– and contain particles that are so small they enter the area of the lungs that transfer oxygen to the blood– it’s dangerous to breathe. [Washington Department of Ecology: Wildfire Health Risks]

Unfortunately, in our rural area, the State has not installed equipment to measure air quality, so local people have joined the Purple Air community and installed their own to keep track of the air quality here and across the world. They use the same category system, but measure differently. Check it out at Purple Air.

As I was looking for inspiration for my daily poem, I looked out the window and saw the smoke-filled sky. I checked the monitor for Purple Air in our 99116 zip code. It was 394– the second highest danger rating and almost to the highest danger rating.

About forty minutes later, it was at the highest danger rating: 450.

We have two Conway Air Purifiers running and we put air filters on our fans. We’ve a standing repeat order for these filters.

Sometimes we drive to fresh air, but currently, the air is smoke-filled for hundreds of miles. We’re also fighting fires directly around us, which are all contained. But Eastern Washington in general is under siege.

Thank goodness for Spokane Public Radio — you can read the article [not behind a paywall] and see the map of fires there. The Washington Department of Natural Resources with Hillary Franz’s leadership directs us to these sights for wildfire information:

Washington Department of Natural Resources / Wildfire
@waDNR_fire on Twitter for current info
Inciweb — Incident System
Northwest Interagency Coordination Center [NWCC]— click on Morning Briefing for daily report

Wherever you are, stay safe. And please, join those who stand up and speak up for saving our planet and humanity.

Climate Change [United Nations]
How to Stop Global Warming [NDRC] [NOAA] [AMNH- for kids]
Climate Kids [NASA] Home Page, Guide, How to Help
NASA: What to Do, Sustainability and Government Resources

Our current smoke hazard is 294, still in the danger zone. And so my poem…a reminder of the effects of global warming, climate change.

Poetry

394

Where’s the hill
across the way?
Seen no more.

Stay inside
Filter on fan
Close the door

Climate change
Wildfires rage
Smoke: 394
Sheri Edwards
08.19.23 231.365.23
Poetry/Photography [See-Frame-Focus]