[カリフォルニア州クローバーデールのリチャード・シェパード 記］
Over the past two weeks, massive wildfires have ripped through Sonoma and Napa Counties destroying entire communities. It began on a Sunday night just before midnight with high winds carrying the flames across miles of land in a matter of hours, igniting businesses and homes as inhabitants slept in their beds. Awakening to the nightmare, families had only minutes to gather belongings before evacuating.
Who says monsters don’t exist?
Fire is an amorphous creature with an insatiable appetite. A being of pure energy, it gobbles up everything in its path, leaving behind only smoke and ruin. The Tubbs Fire that stormed through Santa Rosa last week was so powerful it spawned a series of fiery tornadoes that flipped cars, knocked down trees and flattened homes.
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This sculpture (Max Heiges, Run Home, 2013 made of painted steel), currently located on the south side of Geyserville, felt whimsical to me when it was first displayed, but now feels poignant. |
But along with the super-destruction, superheroes were born: The men and women who risked their lives to fight. These firefighters launched aerial attacks using helicopters and planes to drop water and retardant on the flames. On the ground, water tanks, bulldozers, and chainsaws were used to cut back trees and brush. They all deserve medals.
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The Citrus Fair Event Center in Cloverdale was use for evacuees. |
To date, 42 people have died, Over 36,000 acres have burned, and more than 6,700 structures have been destroyed in Sonoma County alone.
The good news is that my wife Marilyn and I are safe. Our new home town of Cloverdale as well as our previous home town of Healdsburg are all safe from the fires. Geyserville, the town in-between didn’t fare as well, with homes up in the hills suffering catastrophic damage from the Pocket Fire.
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Evacuees at the Citrus Fair Event Center in Cloverdale.
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Each morning when I rose from bed, I looked to the east to check how the fires were progressing. Some days I could see the hills, but on others, they were shrouded in smoke. It all depended on the size of the fire that day and which way the wind was blowing. On a good day, at least for us, the smoke blew south leaving us with crystal blue skies. On bad days, we were confined indoors with the windows closed since the smoke burned our lungs and tickled our noses.
But it appears nature itself has grown tired of the chaos since rain showers are predicted today (October 19). We hope this will put an end to the madness.
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Early morning sketch showing the eerie, orange sun as it rises through a smoke filled sky. |
