Now that the Hot Topics forum is gone...

[Jen]

I really do have a hot topic. There are several massive wildfires burning not far from here, and the air quality is abysmal. We had three or four days of hot high winds and everything started burning. The winds have died down now, thankfully, but leaving the smoke to linger. Lots of homes burned, a few deaths. It’s a sad and scary situation. Hopefully the firefighters will be able to get a handle on the big fires soon. Meanwhile, ugh. I don’t know why the fires have been so bad the past couple of years, especially in California, but I am sure hoping for a few wet years to come.

[Ghostlady]

I have been seeing all those on the news. That is so scary. I have friends in Nevada and they say the same about the air quality. Take care, Jen, and watch the news carefully in case you need to evacuate.

[Jen]

I am pretty far from any forested areas, just in a regular big city neighborhood. I expect I’ll be fine. My siblings and several of my acquaintances are in the level 2 evacuation areas, though, although as of now it looks like the fires won’t reach them. I remain hopeful.

[draclvr]

Winfrey and Carol are heading out to CA right now. They are checking on their cabin out there. She said everything appeared to be OK according to neighbors, but there are fires all around.

[Val]

Holding thumbs the weather turns for everyone! Hate seeing mountains ablaze. Take care.

[LadyKestrel]

These fires have been awful, and they moved so fast because of the high winds and dryness. Someone over at AG posted a picture from the San Francisco bay area today, and the sky is so orange it looks like it's from an alien planet. I feel sorry for people with asthma and COPD because the air quality is so bad. The meterologists have been tracking the massive plume of smoke that's following the jet stream east across the country.

[Lucien21]

https://youtu.be/dX5kfdHv1VU

San Fransisco 2020

It's like Blade Runner or a Tex Murphy game.

[draclvr]

Someone posted this picture on Facebook. It is in Ft. Collins in Colorado. She said the weather was the creepiest thing she had ever experienced.. It was 100° on Sunday and they got about 10" of snow on Monday. The orange is from one of the fires in Colorado with the storm sky and the buildings are the Anheiser Busch Beer plant. Keep in mind that this was taken about noon. Creepy.

[Jen]

Our air is yellow today and stinky. The sun is a crimson orb. Lucky for me I have a/c and can stay inside with windows closed. Unlucky for me, the windows are old and leaky.

[Val]

That's a stunning photo Drac!. Once in a lifetime capture. Unreal.

[LadyKestrel]

Both Lucien's video and Drac's picture are really eerie.

[Jen]

Ours is more in the way of fog. Fog of death. Today Portland has the worst air quality in the world. Beijing is jealous.

[LadyKestrel]

Gak! It sounds like you'll need a gas mask instead of a cloth or paper one when you go out, Jen.