Today I am combining two of my favorite blogging events into one post.
Weekend Coffee Share hosted by Part-Time Monster and One Word Photo Challenge: Wildfire, hosted by Jennifer Nichole Wells.
If we were having coffee today, we would be sitting indoors, because it is hot outside, and because it is smoky from a huge wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
In this photo, you can see how the smoke from the distant, massive fire over 70 miles away obscures the sun and casts an eerie, orange glow in the sky and onto the ground.
On Friday, California Governor Brown issued a state of emergency and the town of San Andreas in Calaveras County was evacuated. The so-called Butte Fire is threatening 6,000 homes, has burned over 50,000 acres in less than 48 hours and remains 10 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.
But hot temperatures, steep terrain and extremely dry brush and trees are contributing to “unprecedented fire conditions and growth,” Cal Fire officials said.
The residents in the nearby foothill towns of Jackson and Sutter Creek will likely suffer due to the smoke and overall heat. Only about 90 minutes drive east from Sacramento, these towns boast a healthy tourist industry with Bed & Breakfasts, quaint shops, restaurants and nearby casino.
Sadly, some the beautiful, natural recreational areas are burning. As small communities still struggle from the Great Recession, wildfires like this will severely hamper their economies that rely on tourists and outdoor enthusiasts.
The smoke plume soaring to 35,000 feet could be seen from satellite images.
Another photo shows how the smoke mixes with morning clouds to filter the sun which casts that gloomy, orange glow.
If we were having coffee, I would tell you that we endured another extraordinarily hot week, with record-breaking temperatures in the low 100’s. I would tell you that I am sick of this oppressive heat. It is been a long time since we hit 105 degrees in September. Fall seems like a long ways off.
I hope that wherever you are, you are experiencing cooler weather and actually enjoying your coffee or tea away from a wildfire.
Uncomfortable here, too. But no big wildfires this year–yet. Are you being choked by heavy smoke? I hate that.
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I heard San Diego was pretty warm. Glad to hear there’s no wildfires there.
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Wow. Scary yet eerily beautiful at the same time. Those temps are scorchers, I am in sweatpants this weekend because if the chill and damp weather we northeasterners are getting.
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Today over coffee I would tell you that we again have smoke from the California fires. That the weather is cooler. I have finally got my emails under control. I had a bad spell last week and spent part of a day in the hospital. I feel much better today. The orchid I brought 3 weeks is still in bloom and my two African violets are almost in full bloom. My geraniums have dne well this year. The jade plant started from a single is a young plant. Football season has started. 🐝🐈Have stress free day!🐝
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Thank you, Betty Louise! I hope you are doing better!
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Today was the first day in several months that I didn’t get smacked in the face by the humidity when I walked outside. It was a lovely morning to walk along the river and feel a bit of a cool breeze. I hope you get some relief soon, too!
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Jealous, Karen, sounds incredible!
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Stay safe. It is the coolest day in Pensacola, FL we have had since March. Take care! ❤
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We are pretty far away, Colleen. Your weather sounds fabulous!
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Yuck, Terri. We are trying to sell to move back westward, Colorado Springs. 😄💗
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We are getting destroyed by the smoke from that fire here too. I don’t understand why California, who is actually not as dry as we are, and has roughly the same amount of material to burn is having these fires on a near weekly basis. Did they do any debris clearing? Are they spending any money at all on prevention? If it were just the drought, we should be worse off, but that is clearly not the case. I’m getting mad at your state government for what I think was neglect between the fire seasons. I have also heard they are turning away trained volunteers but are using 30% prison labor to build the fire lines. Seems shameful. Sorry for the rant, but it is hard to breathe.
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The dry pine trees in wilderness area just goes up in a moment. It just takes someone’s cigarette to start a major fire. It is an ongoing problem and Cal. is always slow to fix these problems.
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Well yeah, our dry pine trees do too, but our state actually thins them out and clears our the dead ones.
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We are getting a little cooler here, but not much. P and I spent our anniversary day over in Coronado… it was lovely! I am so sorry to read about that massive fire. Not only the natural landscape that is being destroyed but people’s homes and, possibly those little towns. Jackson and Sutter Creek are so lovely – I’ve spent some wonderful afternoons in both.
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Dearest Terri!
I am sorry not to have written you sooner but I swear I had no idea how close you were to the fires! I saw about them on the news last night but I wasn’t sure where you lived in proximity. The orange glow in the sky is so scary…I can imagine what people are dealing with over there…I hope the fires will be extinguished soon.
What a terrible tragedy all the devastation caused by the hot temperatures and drought situation.
Please stay safe and I’m sending you big hugs on this Sunday and always!
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Thank you, Lia, you are so sweet. We live an hour away, and it would be rare for it to spread this far. The smoke makes for crazy sunsets though.
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I hope the fires don’t threaten your home and I wish I could give you days like today in Wisconsin…blue skies, dry, high of 70. Perfect fall weather.
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Sounds lovely. We came home to 93 degree temps today. The fires are far away but the sky is pretty smoky!
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It is muuuch cooler here. It’s starting to feel like fall, actually. I hope it cools down in California and that you and your family are able to stay safe…though it sounds like from reading previous comments that you aren’t near the fires.
Gorgeous photo, though, Terri…even if it is a result of the destructive forces of nature at work.
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“They” keep predicting cooler weather (their version of cooler is down to mid 90s from 105). September and October can still be warm! Thanks for the compliment, Britta, and I trust everything is going well for you as you get closer to Thailand 🙂
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Ah, well, hopefully you get a break from the heat at some point!
You’re most welcome. Things are going well over here with preparations, though I still feel like I have soo much to do and not enough time to do it all.
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I’m in sixty degrees. It’s cold for time of year. I’m heading to Pheonix and the Grand Canyon next week. So wildfires are an issue, near Pheonix. I hope you stay on the other side of fire line. Look forward to reading your posts. Thanks for follow! It’s appreciated. The smoke from a distant fire, has a seventy’s song feel to it. I guess it’s me. 😉
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Your trip sounds delightful! Yep, Smoke from A Distant Fire–a 70s song and it is NOT just you 🙂
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Sorry, a blonde in a hi tech world. Any trip is worth taking. Some require more cameras.
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I can only imagine! I know how sunrise and sunset pictures are made beautiful by what’s in the air. Here it is smog from the chemical plants. But, personally, I’d rather be in Big Sky country or back in Scotland or Norway where the air is clean. Hoping you all get some relief soon. Have a family of friends that just moved to Redding.
We have been blessed with a cold front that put temps in the mid-50’s this morning and probably tomorrow morning with lovely days. Come on over to Texas for a stay!
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I have relatives all over Texas–Texarkana, Dallas, Houston, Galveston…in a strange twist, I have a Texas cousin named Debbie Harris!!
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There are 2 of us in this small town I live in and we are friends. 🙂
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If we were having coffee today, we would either be sitting in the garden wearing wet-suits under the big umbrella or indoors watching rain lashing down the windows. And also, maybe I would actually get dressed instead of sitting here at the computer wearing only my dressing gown and crocs, both of which are splattered with acrylic paint. OMG – if George Clooney walked in here now…
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Heehee, I will take some of that rain. 🙂
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And I am really sad to hear about the fires with all the loss of land. It must be horrific for people who are being affected. The rain doesnt seem so bad afterall.
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If we were having coffee today, we would either be sitting in the garden wearing full wet-suits under the big umbrella or sitting inside watching the rain lashing at the windows. And maybe I would get dressed instead of sitting at the computer wearing my dressing gown and crocs, both of which are splattered with acrylic paint. OMG – if George Clooney walked in here now…
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Oh Terri that is terrible. We are heading into Summer in Australia and that means bushfire season. We have dreadful fires here and sometimes unfortunately they are deliberately started. Thanks for giving us some insight and if we were having coffee I would probably be offering you a cool drink. Thanks for linking up with us at #anythinggoes – it is always great to have you.
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Yikes! I suppose the potential for wildfires can be anywhere! And I would gratefully accept that iced coffee!
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Thank you for posting the photographs. I was watching the morning news, horrified by the images, and wondered how many miles and people the wildfires were affecting.
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Oh no Terri, that’s awful! I hope things are improving.
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Not really but it is 100 miles away. since I posted, another terrible fire started near Napa/wine country. At least we got some sprinkles and overcast to take the heat away!
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Ooh no, it can be such a dry place can’t it? I’m alway surprised by that.
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Keeping an eye on those fires from all the way over here—-hoping for rain and some relief soon.
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Thank you, Diana, had an overcast day with much cooler temps and higher humidity. Helps the fires to be fought better!
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Hopefully you and your family aren’t in danger, from what I’ve seen on the news that fire is massive!
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Thank you for your post. I’m sorry I haven’t responded until now. I hope you are well. And that the near by families come out okay as well.
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I am peachy! Thanks! Some rain has made its way to Nor Cal giving some relief to these fires!
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That’s great!
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Oh these fires are so awful. Yesterday I heard that even the redwoods are under threat of burning.
I pray you get some steady rain.
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We have gotten a little rain in some spots, and it has helped with the fire management. Everything is so dry that it doesn’t take much to start devastating fires. Thank you for your prayers!
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It seems late in the year to stay so hot. In Cornwall, it feels like fall–cool evenings, cool mornings, a few leaves already changing colors. Wish we could send you some rain.
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I hope that the situation has improved by you Terri. We have seen some wildfires here in Fiji this year as El Niño is causing a drought here…but nothing like you have seen in California.
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It has improved! Hard to believe tropical islands can be subject to drought, but I guess that is why some are called desert islands! El Nino is supposed to dump rain on us this winter!
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So sorry that the beautiful colors aren’t from a sunrise/set but from these terrible fires. We once had to evacuate while on vacation in the Big Horn Mountains and it’s a scary thing. Praying for rain!
janet
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Yes, sad to find beauty in smoke-filled skies. Still scorching here. We will welcome the promised El Nino with open arms (if covered with slickers)!
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