tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6681971.post4958354416214214798..comments2023-12-11T19:15:34.648-07:00Comments on water :: earth :: wind :: fire: Top 4 US Fires in MontanaMaureenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09967323387645271468noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6681971.post-91776400008924006192007-08-31T10:30:00.000-06:002007-08-31T10:30:00.000-06:00Hi Pepek ... I just now realized you had left a co...Hi Pepek ... I just now realized you had left a comment. I don't know where my brain's been for the last few weeks -- my body has been away from the computer alot, though. ;-) Anyway, thanks for your concern. We are okay, though I think almost everyone in our city would be able to say this has been the worst summer for excess heat and smoke from wildfires. It's enough to make anyone cranky! <BR/><BR/>Lara, I made a link to you in the sidebar (blogs I like) .... thanks for making contact. I do llike your tutorials -- I'm sure they're really helpful for lots of people.Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09967323387645271468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6681971.post-17288673663124251642007-08-04T22:11:00.000-06:002007-08-04T22:11:00.000-06:00So glad to hear you're okay!So glad to hear you're okay!Joyce Ellen Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494251587598676788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6681971.post-54957263558322147592007-08-04T19:22:00.000-06:002007-08-04T19:22:00.000-06:00Hello my dear M - thanks for the response. It's go...Hello my dear M - thanks for the response. It's good to be able to talk about this. I got a call from my cousin today. The Jocko Lakes fire, which started just yesterday, is causing evacuations near our cabin in the Swan Valley. My cousin lives on a ranch outside of Missoula, and is readying extra supplies of water should the area around his home burst into flame from one of these spontaneous combustions. With fires expanding 5000 acres in one day, the whole situation is quite frightening.Bitterroothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15874941996944071059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6681971.post-22584469096598516932007-08-03T13:54:00.000-06:002007-08-03T13:54:00.000-06:00Hey, EO -- you can get up on a soapbox on my blog ...Hey, EO -- you can get up on a soapbox on my blog anytime you want to! I agree with everything you added and would have written much more along those lines in my post except I wanted to keep it sorta short. <BR/><BR/>It's only been in the last two or three years that the incidence and number of fires in Montana, and other western states, has increased so that one fire is on top of another on top of another ... no long breaks between fires. August and September have become months of smoky air. And this year, our fire season started three weeks earlier than ever! So that means 3 more weeks of smoke to breath. <BR/><BR/>Parched is a good word to describe the earth out here now. Saying <I>parched</I> calls to mind <I>thirst</I> ... and that's exactly what it is: the earth is so, so thirsty! So many pines are dying all over the Rockies because of the long term drought. <BR/><BR/>Ok off <I>my</I> soapbox. Thanks for the discussion. I value your thoughts and observations, my friend. <BR/><BR/>back to work. going nuts here trying to finish things up before we leave. hugs to you and the TMaureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09967323387645271468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6681971.post-11923852573610560942007-08-03T10:21:00.000-06:002007-08-03T10:21:00.000-06:00Hello my dear M - I'm still checking all my favori...Hello my dear M - I'm still checking all my favorite places every day, including Helena. It's true what you say about wildfire being a way to clear out understory, etc. and this is a healthy, natural annual process. <BR/><BR/>But it's the global warming aspect of it that bothers me. The parched earth and lack of moisture. There's not been enough snowpack in recent years to nourish and protect the earth. <BR/><BR/>In past decades, fires in Montana would start every summer, but their incidence and number were much lower. It was rare to have the smoke settle for weeks on end over hundreds of miles of territory.<BR/><BR/>OK, off my soapbox now! <BR/><BR/>Much love, thinking of you every day, <BR/><BR/>EBitterroothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15874941996944071059noreply@blogger.com