An Unexpected Terrorist Attack

As everyone knows, we are at Lake Tahoe, one of those absolutely most beautiful places in America.  I'm sad to report this area has been attacked by a terrorist.  No, there was no bomb, or crashing

airplanes, or silent chemical weapons released into the water system.  No, this area is being bombarded by smoke as a result of a raging wildfire set by an arsonist.  Oh, I should say 'alleged' arsonist because after all the man who has been arrested for setting the fire is only charged, not convicted.  The fire was set on September 13th, and now on September 24th, 90,000 acres are burning with 12,000 homes currently at risk.  The wildfire is large enough to be seen from space.

To give credit where it's due, Drake is the one who has equated the setting of this fire with a terrorist attack.  He's absolutely right.  The fire is projected to intensify today due to the gusting winds.  I'm hoping no firefighters are going to die trying to bring this fire under control.  Last week the same weather conditions forecasted for the next few days tripled the size of the fire overnight. Oh, and to make matters worse, what's burning is the El Dorado National Forest, and FYI that belongs to ME and YOU and EVERY AMERICAN.

Something we've really enjoyed at Lake Tahoe is the air quality.  Clear and clean in the green with lots of oxygen as only forests can produce.  Now, each day's air ranges from orange (unhealthy for the sensitive) to red (unhealthy for everyone).  And we're lucky because the actual location of the flames is fifty miles to the west over a 7000 foot mountain.  However, when the wind blows from the south/west, smoke pours over the peak into the Tahoe Basin.  We're south of the Lake and west of the fire, so we've been living with haze and light smoke.  The people on the north side of Lake Tahoe and in Reno, Nevada, are living intermittently in what must seem like volcanic ash conditions. Today, the smoke is moving as far north at Boise, Idaho.

The only other exposure to a wildfire we've had was several years ago when we were on a family vacation to southwestern Colorado.  We were at Mesa Verde National Park when lightening started a fire inside the park, and the Rangers evacuated the park. As we joined the caravan of evacuees, we actually drove past huge pine trees that were flaming like giant torches.  I was most happy to be gone. We might have to make the same choice here cutting our visit short.  Unfortunately, the people who live here permanently are just stuck.  I just hope the powers that be prove their case and throw the book at the arsonist.