Smoke Update

Don’t look now, but there’s actually a bit of blue sky spotted with puffy white clouds overhead. It’s the first shot of color we’ve seen in a week, and it’s a welcome hue. We can only hope that more clearing will take place over the next few days.

In the meantime, we’re off to San Francisco for some brief R&R…

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Northern California is choked with smoke today. The Department of Forestry is calling the fires the Lightning Series—the result of bizarre thunderstorms that have been moving through the region for the past few days. Thirty-four fires have been reported in the area where I live.

On Saturday, I watched in amazement from my driveway as dense black clouds obscured the sunlight. The thunder was deafening, but only a few drops of rain fell. If I hadn’t seen them on the windshield of the car, I probably would have missed them completely. It was an eerie feeling—à la Ray Bradbury meets Stephen King meets Mephistopheles.

Today, the sky is an eerie yellow-white color. On most days, when I drive over a nearby bridge that crosses Highway 49, I can see all the way to the Sierra. This morning, I could barely see the freeway below.