Tag Archives: Spokane wildfires

The Spokane Wildfires

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I wanted to briefly address the Spokane wildfires. Up until this point I haven’t said anything because I didn’t really find it appropriate to do so. Everything that could possibly be said during such a devastating time was already being said—and in a much more eloquent manner than I could ever do.

But with the fires reaching containment and many of those evacuated returning to their homes, I thought now would be the time to say that neither my family nor our home was ever remotely close to being threatened. Because we live in Spokane Valley, we were far away from the havoc that was wreaked in north Spokane.

This photo has stuck with me throughout the Spokane wildfire disaster. While pretty much everything burned, this statue of our Blessed Mother remained (photo courtesy of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane).

And it wasn’t just the geographic location of our house that removed us from such an awful event. When the fires started on Saturday, Aug. 1, we were all in Atlanta. The thousands of miles that separated us from the Spokane area meant we didn’t even as much breathe in any smoke. This physical detachment from home continued as we spent the following week in Myrtle Beach.

As we were vacationing, Spokane was burning.

So, yes, I did feel guilt. Here I was shielded from the worst disaster Spokane has ever seen while I enjoyed time in a place completely devoid of even a spark. At the same time, I could still rationalize that the vacation was pre-planned and if there was ever a time to be out of the region it was last week.

This was all compounded with the fact that even though I was on the other side of the country, Spokane was still top of mind and front of eyes. The wildfires led off national news broadcasts the entire week. It didn’t matter if I was in my in-laws’ living room or doing cardio in a Myrtle Beach gym, Spokane wildfire updates constantly flashed on television screens. It was a little surreal.

I write this all to convey once again: We weren’t impacted by the fires.

But so many others were. And many lost everything. My heart and my prayers go out to my fellow Spokanites who were dealt the absolute worst luck imaginable.

Besides that, I know anything else I have to write is inadequate.

Thanks to the firefighters and other first responders heroes who have come from all over to assist. Without them, my family surely would have seen the fire when we returned home this past Sunday night. Don’t Blink.

SMOKE-an

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This past weekend was a little hazy. No, it wasn’t because I hit the beer cooler too hard—heck, I am on a dental medication that won’t even let me take a sip of alcohol—but because of actual smoke that turned the Spokane air into a hazardous mess.

During this time of the year, South Carolina has hurricanes and Washington has wildfires. Although the former posed a more serious threat to my family than the latter, that’s not to say the byproduct of devastating fires is anything to brush off.

This month I have watched the local news solemnly as wildfires rage all over our state. These infernos have literally destroyed communities and burned hundreds of thousands of acres. There is no such thing as a break in 2020.

On Saturday, the Spokane Valley was reminded of the catastrophic flames in other parts of the state by hazy smoke that ushered itself in prior to breakfast. As the sun rose, I stood out on my back deck to this…

This is what it looked like outside from my back deck on Saturday.

What was supposed to be a 90-degree day never even topped 80. The sun remained a weird pinkish orb. Walk outside and the strong smell of smoke automatically overwhelmed you. Walk back in and you smelled like a campfire. Forget the bright September day, it was dark and eerie.

A look at the smoke as we drove down Sprague. Notice the sun in the top left hand corner of the image.

But for all the oddities that came with the smoke settling in the valley that is Spokane, the threat it posed was definitely most concerning. When the air category is at a “good” level, it hovers under a value of 50 on a scale of 500. On Friday, when the smoke started to settle in our area, it reached a mark of 170. By Saturday and through Sunday, it reached a staggering 499! That isn’t just unhealthy, it is HAZARDOUS.

The conditions climbed to 499!

The smokey conditions didn’t improve much today. I am still not comfortable letting my daughter go outside to play. Unfortunately, the wildfires still rage. Although Spokane will soon be spared the smoke, other towns will still be engulfed by the flames. We need to pray for favorable weather conditions, smart decisions by citizens, and the safety of fire fighters. Don’t Blink.