Fires--the odd season

["Whitney Bass" <bass@bigsky.net>]

It's been over 3 weeks now that these fires here in western Montana, have been going strong -- and it's getting OLD. . .  This last Sunday was the first clear day we've had since the last week in July, so I decided to go for a drive -- all lands are still closed to recreation, so no riding. =-(   My new ranch is down the Bitterroot Valley (the area that's most often on the national news), and looking south from it I could see the "Skalkaho Complex" fires really putting on a show.  So, I went to take a better look!  Thirty minutes later I was directly west of the fires (not really all that far from my house), and they were impressive -- tourists were parked everywhere trying to take pictures, eyes wide!  Continuing down Highway 93, I passed thru Darby -- signs and billboards everywhere thanking firefighters, telling them to "be safe" and "God bless".  Loggers (who are out of work now because of the land 'shut down') were parked off the sides of the road with their BIG equipment; signs reading, "Logger -- will fight fire. Please hire."  Different areas in town have been designated as "Fire Info" areas, with maps and officials to help people know where the fires are, and what areas are still evacuated, etc. -- lots of people milling around, strained and tired faces.  About 3 miles south of Darby, the land started to turn black. Only on the east side of the road for 5 miles or so, and then, slowly, EVERYTHING around was black (now I know why the highway was closed for so long!).  It reminded me of some kind of a black park -- not a single thing on the ground (of course, my main thought was:  Wouldn't that be fun to ride a horse fast through?! . .  NO obstacles!!).  But it was also kind of eerie.   I was absolutely amazed at the number of houses that were saved -- for every 1 that I saw burnt down, I saw 5 or so, that weren't (pretty good job done, in a tight, forested valley.)  Sign after sign, thanking the firefighters -- each one almost made me cry.  I decided to turn around in the town of Sula (which consists of ONE building -- store/gas station/cafe) and was amazed at the "central station" that the Sula Store had become (because of ongoing evacuation orders, etc.).  The people living down there have been really in the middle of the fires since the beginning -- I can't imagine how tired they must be. . .  On my drive back, I could see that some of the smoke was starting to sit in the valley again, and wondered how many clear days we would get. . .  I woke up Monday to the same old gray smoky, air, and haven't seen the sky since.  The sun is a bright red circle in the sky, that almost catches me off guard because I can look directly at it, without even thinking.  The moon is a bright orange circle, and occasionally I find myself mistaking one for the other.  It's almost like it's winter time because of the lack of things to do and the grayness of the days, but without skiing or snowboarding!.  This is an ODD season -- I hope it ends soon. . . I miss the sky, I miss 'my' trails. . . I miss riding. . .

 

Whitney (and my now out-of-shape ponies: Seco, Iza, and Hossny -- and my two that were never IN shape: Mary and Arazi!!) =-)