Right now, I'd love to live just about anywhere but Northern CA. There are over 800 wildfires burning in the region and some go unfought due to the fact that the fire support from three states STILL isn't enough manpower to cover them all.

The air in my area is thick, grey and hazy. The sky is a sickly yellow-grey, like a giant nicotine stain. Everything, even inside my house and office, smells strongly of woodsmoke. It's so hard to breathe that just a flight of stairs leaves me wheezing and clutching my chest. I don't dare let the kids outside to play because god ONLY knows what all is burning in those fires.

It's horrible and I fear if this is the start of another long, hot, DRY summer what the rest of the summer will be like. I've had offers from friends to come stay with them if it comes down to evacuation, which is a possibility. I'm right on the edge of a major national forest and surrounded by trees in every direction. Another good lightning storm and this place could go up like a match. God only knows how many of these were started by humans - we can't even put them all out, much less investigate them or name them.

I've gotten to the point that I get angry when I see people burning their yard trash or tossing their cigarette butt out their car window. This whole state is a tinderbox and it doesn't need the help.

EDIT: I forgot this pic this morning when I posted. This is in town at about 7:30 this morning.

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