Dry, Dry, Dry

The title says it all.  It's been so very dry here.  I'm considering buying stock in Chapstick and Ayr Saline Nasal Mist!

Last week I was heading up to the mountain and as I wound my way through town I pulled over for a fire truck. When I pulled back into the street to continue my journey I was a little puzzled that the streets that lead to our little road were also the streets taken by this fire truck.  Then I saw a mass of cars where there shouldn't have been any and realized that the brush on the county road was on fire.  In April... a brush fire.

Where County Road 67.7 meets Atchison in Trinidad is a quiet neighborhood.  Atchison is lined by small, well-kept homes.  Then there's a large apartment building just past the turn-off on CR67.7.  It appears to me that someone from that apartment building threw a lit cigarette.  Of course, I'm just guessing, but my many years of living in Southern California has taught me a thing or two about brush fires.  That was obviously the point of origin, and the fire was spreading fast.

I pulled onto the county road and then off to the side to watch.  Two more fire trucks arrived and all hands were on deck to battle this brute.

As I sat in my car to watch, Ken and Angela pulled in next to me.  We sat in our cars and talked and watched.  I saw that the smoke was turning from black to white which is a very good sign.  We discussed the fire fighter's movements as we saw a downed tree across the road and across the arroyo start to blaze.  Of course we knew the professionals had it all well in hand.  Steve pulled up behind us and we all visited.  Then Justin and Alicia pulled up.  It was a regular get-together with the gang.

After visiting for 45 minutes or so I decided that I'd go up there tomorrow instead.  Even though the fire was pretty much out, I knew that the fire fighters would be staying around for a while to make sure any hot spots were out.  They were letting people out of the canyon, but not in.  I assumed that was because -- in event of an evacuation that would be one less person they had to deal with.  Of course, that's another assumption.  I didn't have to get up there and I didn't want to be in any one's way.  All in all the fire consumed maybe a couple of acres.  Not much at all by Southern California or Texas standards, but it could have been quite scary if not for the fire department's quick action.

Why I didn't take pictures... I have no idea.