fires in southwestern oregon

here, the air is "unhealthy"
and the sun is red
behind the smoke.
it's eerie.
the kids at work are to stay inside.
there are masks you can get if you have to be outside for long, have to breathe the ash and smoke in the air,
a fierce grandma in merlin isn't flinching, is still watching TV,
teenager: "hey dude check out that sun, huh?"
i don't know
i don't know
i don't know
21000 acres of fires in my neighborhood is more than i can conceive of
what do we do when the storms make fires
what is "normal"
i knew about fire, in theory;
i want to make a lasagna and bring it to someone
i want to walk around the sanctuary and touch things
i want to cry
i want to see fire and not just smoke, feel heat,
but we are a few miles away and there are crickets and barking dogs, the germinating seeds are cool and moist in the dark garden soil, there are stars behind the smoke. we are safe. i feel powerless.
so close
so close