do not think your finding this is a coincidence.
And We Burned.
It has been a while. The last time I wrote on here, that same day, not even 2 hours after I posted that, my town was swallowed by a wildfire. This wildfire is officially the largest wildfire to EVER strike my state. It is just ending today, and the last count yesterday was 313,000 acres burned. 21 homes lost, some 60 structures gone. 170+ cattle dead, at least 9 horses, countless pets and an unthinkable amount of wildlife. As I stated in that last post, I had to go because I had to get to work. I live 10 miles out of town, but work downtown. After I got there, we got word that a wildfire was raging out of control and heading directly for our town, re: us. Sure enough, thick orange smoke took over and ash was falling from the sky. The electricity went out and the town was evacuated immediately as the fire was coming into town.
I couldn’t see 10 feet in front of me as I was running, heart thudding in my ears, to my car. Ash was thick in the air, falling from the sky like the most horrifying snow I’ve ever seen. I sped towards my sisters house to grab her dogs before leaving town, and it was truly terrifying. The winds were whipping at 50, 60mph into town, and the fire was right there. Once I had her dogs, I took off and as I was racing out of town, away from the fire, I looked around me. Really looked around. I saw firefighters standing on the sidewalks, going into the same monster I was running from, to save people they did not know. I saw families, children, elderly, teenagers – all being forced to leave their belongings and homes behind, not knowing if they would ever see them again. I saw the shock, disbelief, and terror on everyone’s faces – as well as my own. As the smoke started to clear as I got further into the mountains towards my house, I began crying. Weeping. For everyone and everything affected. It was devastating to me that so quickly, this tiny town could become the target of such a disaster, and that there was simply nothing I could do but watch as people’s entire lives were burned to the ground.
We thought we were safe, 10 miles out of town. Unfortunately not – it raged on through town and came within 2 miles of our house that first night, and we were evacuated. The rest is history(truly). The good news is that we have faired okay through this 24 day long disaster. Everything we own is still safe, as well as us. We are lucky, and we know it.
It was proof to me that things can and do change in an instant. Our lives are not guaranteed, nor are those of the ones we love. We are not promised a tomorrow where the things we know will still be there. Where we will still be there. This instant may be the last you ever have. What if this was your last conscious thought? There may never be a chance to say I’m sorry, I love you, or goodbye. I want you to think right now about anybody you care about. Are things okay with them? If today was your last day, would the people you love know you did? It is something to think about.
And again, let’s not forget:
