Picture this — Wildfire

These images were created prior to our evacuation from Summerland late Friday night. Given our hurried packing there was no time to take shots of the fire itself though we did witness the Cartwright Mountain Ridge (our dog walking area) fully aflame. Many such images are sprinkled throughout social and news media. Our evacuation story is told here.

 

In recent days, many have described the signs of fire as “apocalyptic” with good reason. In scripture we read:

“The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” Joel 2:31

and

“Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” Matthew 24:29

Obviously, biblical writers experienced something akin to what we witnessed last Friday. They employ such imagery to guide us through our various calamities, fostering hope and a sense of the future especially when a positive future is difficult to imagine. Such is not our situation, thankfully, but for many,  hope is difficult to find presently.

At an emergency information meeting on Monday night, Summerland Mayor, Doug Holmes spoke both emotionally and well:

Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes got emotional talking about how residents have pulled together to help each other during the evacuation.

“It’s been incredible,” he said.

He acknowledged people’s patience will “start to wear thin” as they are forced to stay away from their homes but urged residents not to turn to infighting or blame.

“We can’t lose sight of who we are. We need to keep helping each other. And when we do get back, we need to brace ourselves for what’s there or what’s not there. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be really hard,” Holmes said, his voice breaking.

“We all know people who have lost homes.… And those people need our help.”

Other information shared at the meeting includes:

Highway 97 remains closed between Peachland and Summerland until fire in the NE sector of the region can be made safe again;

There is no timeline for return as yet. When that time arrives return will be staged;

Both water and waste systems are jeopardized. Portions of the dump are on fire which means toxicity pollution may occur;

As yet, the BC Wildfire Service remains actively engaged with the sites. Once the fire is held then district officials will commence damage assessment and report out to evacuees. There is no schedule for this work to commence as yet;

A criminal investigation as to the source and means of ignition is ongoing. The fire is not caused by nature but through human activity;

While lower temperatures are expected a change in weather makes lightening and new fire starts likely;

More details can be found in this CBC article.

Throughout the conference presenters noted a remarkable level of coordination, generosity, and goodwill. The mayor’s caution that we are in the for the long haul remains potent.

In her brilliant history, The Library Book, Susan Orlean tells the story of the largest library fire in the history of the United States — The 1986 life and times and near-death experience of the Los Angeles Public Library. At one point she notes that even today, readers can sniff the scent of smoke and ash in volumes which survived the fire.

While I reiterate that our own evacuation experience is more comfortable than most, what will it be like to return to our home bathed in smoke and soot for days if not weeks. Our living room furniture, our bed sheets, the dog beds, all a passive reminder of what we have left behind, an enduring memory of a tragedy that could have been way worse for us, and for many continues to be a nightmare.

Psalm 30:5 invites us to sing: “Weeping may endure for a night. But joy comes in the morning.” For everyone, afflicted in diverse ways, the morning cannot come soon enough. And for this we wait, patiently . . .

Visit the takenote.ca HOME page for a colourful display of hundreds of other blogs which may interest or inspire you