May 16, 2010
It's Sunday morning. It's hot, dry and the wind has changed (S, SE gusting to 40 kms). Over 90 homes have been put on evacuation alert including Vera's Mom's.
Yes, my friend did lose his house and for the time being, his way of life.
Latest reports say that the fire has consumed 2700 hectares of crown land. This fire has done pretty much whatever it wanted to do. The winds threaten to drive the fire north. I fear not only for my friends and neighbours but also for the Ghost Horse Hills and Halfmoon Lake Natural Area. For those of you that don't know, the Ghost Horse Hills are the home base for Rainbow Equitation Society and Pioneer Trail North Foundation.
Vera and I were out at the RES this morning checking things out. As tragic as this fire is, it's easy to be enthralled by the efforts of the men and women who are fighting this fire. The work on the ground is hard, hot and dirty. The operation of heavy equipment is dangerous and then there are the fly-boys.
My Dad was in the army during WWII. He didn't like the guys in the airforce much. Dad had taken offense to a speech given by King George. He thanked the men of the army and navy for their efforts and the gentlemen of the airforce.
Watching these pilots pull water out of Halfmoon Lake, it is easy to see why old King George would have been impressed by the men of the airforce. It's a 20 metre drop from the RES site to the surface of the lake. As the loaded planes pull up over the rise, they are at treetop level as they come over the RES corrals. You could almost recognize the pilots if you saw them on the street.
Just this minute I got a phone call from my mother-in-law. They have just made her house the command centre for the fire-fighting effort. I like that idea.
Say some prayers for the people that are fighting this fire. If you don't believe in prayer, pray anyway.
Thank you.
Richard
(more to come)
No comments:
Post a Comment