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Nine Months Later

The Carlton Complex Wildfires started nine months ago tomorrow. It was a devastating event – burning wildly and consuming trees, shrubs, hillsides, wildlife and homes for people and animals. Nine months later, I took a walk through Pipestone Canyon, a favorite area for walking and bicycling and birding. Like our hillside, it is beginning to recover but some areas burned so hot, there is no sign of life. I heard a Canyon Wren from the rocky cliffs above and heard raptors screeching at each other or maybe at me. I was surprised to encounter numerous Dusky Grouse. I wonder what they are eating? Wildflowers and grasses are thriving in some areas. Shrubs and trees that did not burn too hot are slowly recovering.

New grass growing on the hills above the canyon.
The canyon walls
Buttercups
Lomatium sp
Small balsamroot plants
This balsamroot is in an area that didn’t burn so hot.
Imagine the heat
Rolling rocks are a potential problem.
Home for someone
Dusky Grouse
Spring beauty
Growing out of a crack in a rock
Grass growing on top of a rock.
Moss cups
Currants
Aspen buds
Serviceberry bud

Realities

I just looked back at some of my summer posts from before the fires started. Hikes, wildflowers, fun with friends and dogs, celebrations, camping with my husband. I am lucky to have such a good life. After the fire my life will gone on as before but with a greater awareness of the dangers of wildfires.

For others, that is not the case. Authorities are now saying that 300 homes were lost. 300 families displaced. There was already a lack of family homes in this valley. Where do these people go? Will they stay? Do they have friends and families to take them in til new arrangements can be made? It’s a tragedy.

In addition to homes for people, homes for wildlife have been destroyed. Most of the mule deer winter range burned. Where will they turn? The berry crop was destroyed. What will the bears eat? Where will the birds build nests next summer? How many animals could not outrun the fire?

Yesterday I drove to Chelan with MA and even though we’d seen countless images of the destruction, we were both taken aback by the scenes along the way.

3 ribbons meant level 3 evacuation.
Fire fighters remove hazard trees from near the highway
An old storage building next to the highway
Camping memories
Utah firefighters watch for flare ups near the mouth of the Methow River
The litter burned
So hot it cracked
The fire burned around this Native American graveyard near the mouth of the Methow
Prickly pear cacti
Some homes survived and others did not
Pateros
A neighborhood burned except for this pool
No apples to pick this year
Ash covers the ground like snow

 

Wildfires Continue

It has been a week since the brief lightning storm went through north central Washington and small fires began burning. Now, 7 days later in Okanogan County alone 250,000 acres and 150 homes are in ashes. And the fires are not contained. More than 1000 fire fighters from around the country and countless aircraft are working to protect the landscape and homes. All power is out in the Methow valley. The only way to access the Internet is with a smart phone or tablet and service is sketchy. Communications are very frustrating. We are safe in our house for the moment. There were a couple of days when we were ready to flee if the fire across the valley advanced to the county road. Many folks are homeless so while we may feel inconvenienced or uncomfortable because of the smoke we really have nothing to complain about.

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Wildfires Continue

It has been a week since the small lightning storm went through north central Washington and small fires began burning. Now, in Okanogan County alone 250,000 acres and 150 homes are in ashes. And the fires are not contained. More than 1000 fire fighters from around the country and countless aircraft are working to protect the landscape and homes. All power is out in the Methow valley. The only way to access the Internet is with a smart phone or tablet and service is sketchy. Communications are very frustrating. We are safe in our house for the moment. There were a couple of days when we were ready to flee if the fire across the valley advanced to the county road. Many folks are homeless so while we may feel inconvenienced or uncomfortable because of the smoke we really have nothing to complain about.

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