Fire Apocalypse

Hello my friends.  We've had a rough few days around here.  Our beautiful, green and lush Columbia River Gorge is burning.  32,000 acres of forest have burned.  The fire jumped across the river to Washington and 75 acres are burning there.  This devastation was caused by a 15 year old boy showing off to his friends by lighting fireworks and throwing them over a cliff on the Eagle Creek Trail.  One of his friends videotaped him while they all laughed.  A woman scolded him and he mouthed off to her.  She went down the trail and called the police and they got there just in time before the boys were able to drive away.  (NOTE: I borrowed most of these photos from the internet, I did not take the ones of the fire.)

The air is orange-brown and reeks of smoke and the ash is falling like snow.  We are a level #2 of evacuation.  Level #3 and we have to leave.  The fire traveled 12 miles night before last.. right towards us.  We packed up our valuables and important papers.  Yesterday morning we got up at 5 am so Dayle, Travis and Kristi could move our 55 Chevy and 68 Mustang to some friend's house 10 miles away.  They also hauled our travel trailer there with extra clothes to last us for several days or even henceforth if our house burned to ash.

What you are seeing burning here is Cascade Locks where I've share many beautiful photographs.  Isn't this heartbreaking?  

The night after that last moon shot in my last post, I took this of the full moon.  The smoke and ash was thick in the air.

A shot across the river of Cascade Locks with the mountains burning.

We awoke yesterday to learn the fire had traveled the 12 miles to Multnomah Falls.  We all watched the news on TV in horror as the brave firemen battled tirelessly to protect the lodge from catching on fire.  They have saved it for the time being.  See the fire burning right behind it?

Oneonta Gorge Tunnel was only recently restored and a new wooden interior was built.  I was there for the grand opening.  It has now burned. 

As the fire steadily marches west towards Vista House and Corbett.

::sigh::

Shepperds Dell burning.

And so we work on the deck as the fire advances.. 

And we celebrate our young chickens laying their first eggs.  Our only chicken who lays white eggs laid her first, and we celebrated.  We were going to have to leave them behind if we had to evacuate.. it broke my heart.

And so.. we wait.. and watch.. and check the news.  As of today the winds have settled down and have turned to blow the fire back to the east, we're on the west of it.  We are still #2 level in evacuation.  I'll let you know in a few days where we're at.  

((hugs)), Teresa :-)