Aug 14, 2015
Updates, more fires and thoughts
First off, thank you all my wonderful blog readers who sent comments on my last post. I learned some things. First off be very very careful what type of ice cream you buy. One thing I discovered, thanks to your posts, was that I did not buy the type of ice cream for Colin’s birthday that he normally purchases, which is Chapman’s, one of the best brands here in Canada. I totally goofed but his palate figured it out. I don’t eat a lot of ice cream so I had no idea. That was quite the experiment 😐
This is what we are living with this evening. Poor photo, sorry.
I received an email update today on Baby Romina whom many of you helped with a donation. She did get to the Shriners Hospital in LA and was assessed. Turns out she is too young at the moment but they want her back next year for a new evaluation. I honestly can’t give you an update to the amount of funds that were used. It is too difficult to go back & forth from here with translations, etc. I will be sure to check the details once I get back to the Isla.
A shot sent by Romina’s Mom from LA.
So yet another 13 fires in the last 24 hours. One started yesterday afternoon, just off Hwy 33 next to Rock Creek. Chris, you and Juan drove through that lovely area last June. Truly a lovely area of B.C. Sadly that fire has grown to 2500 hectares in 24 hours and possibly more, it is too dangerous to evaluate. Even worse is the loss of homes and other buildings. Tragically an entire RV Park was evacuated with mere moments of notice. Some left with only their bathing suits. All the RV’s have been reduced to nothing but ash. That fire is out of control. The highway is closed making delivery of food and basics impossible. One family in Grand Forks, a community East of the fire, has 13 evacuees living in their home. Heroes in my mind! But it is worse yet. A US fire has crossed the border into Canada which has resulted in folks being put on evacuation alert. This fire is not too far from the Rock Creek fire.
Today we not only have smoke in the air but in our lungs. Once you open your door you are engulfed in the smoke. It is like your own yard is on fire. Think campfire X 100.
Hard to photograph but that grey stuff is smoke being brought down to the ground by the wind and a few drops of moisture.
Saw this little guy perched on the roof next door. The first Cedar Wax Wing I have seen this year.
The red color is from the smoke and the fire. This is facing East at 5:30PM. The acrid smell of smoke filled the air.
Not long after the skies became black. Even thought it was cooler outside than inside we left the A/C on as the smell was very strong.
We were fortunate to miss the hail and the rain. However I am certain that the wind did damage to the many fires still burning. I just checked the online news and things are not going well at the Rock Creek fire.
It is horrible, out of control and the call has gone out for help to us here in Kelowna. Folks are trying to round up the many horses in the area and get them here. Water buckets and hay are needed. So very very sad.
Worse yet is the likely possibility that the fire was human caused 😥
Colin and I were out together earlier today and on the way home we saw a beautiful doe that had been killed laying near the side of the road, not far from the centre of the city. So very sad.
From that my thoughts went to how quiet things are in our house. The phone hardly ever rings now. I used to be on the phone at least twice per day with Mom or Dad. Now it is so quiet. Life is short. Be it death or nature like a fire changing things, it is so important to try and live in the moment and just enjoy.
Oops, two new fires near Oliver……enough for tonight.
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There is a sad undertone to your writing tonight Contessa and I can totally understand why. The fires are bad enough but to know this big one in Rock Creek could have been caused by such abject, human carelessness is unfathomable.
As for the quietness in your household. It is a hard thing in life, that loss of loved ones. Doug and I still both miss our Dad so much. They both passed away in 1994. We are doubly blessed to have both our amazing Moms still in our lives. We are thankful everyday for them both. You both are blessed to have Colin’s Mom in your lives. She looks to be a fantastic woman and an inspiration to all.
I used this quote on one of my blog posts from last year:
“There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them up from your mind and hug them.”
Peace to you all tonight……
Thank you Nancy.
Like you said life is short, enjoy it now while you can.
Hope the fires stop soon.
Sadly the fires have gotten worse and homes are being lost.
Oh!! Bugger – fires are very scary – I hope there is a torrential rain downpour to settle the fires and give the firefighters a breather…we know here in Australia how devastating they are lesalp.blogspot.com.au
Sadly we did not get rain with the thunderstorm that happened last evening, just lots of wind.
Wow, B.C. is really getting hit hard with the fires this summer. What a shame about that RV Park, luckily no lives were lost. Hope that things get better there soon.
Ruth
I’m sure that we will eventually see photos of that RV Park but right now the fires is out of control and with hundreds of homes evacuated. The Oliver fire is now burning homes.