A Beautiful, Clear Morning!

July 2, 2008, about 6:00 am

This morning, we awoke to clear, sunny, beautiful, smoke-free skies! A temporary relief, but a welcome one!

This is deceptive... the wind has simply shifted, sending the smoke to the south and the east, and the fire certainly hasn't retreated. In fact, it's added about 10,000 acres since Sunday.

Today, Governor Arnold sent in 200 National Guard troops to relieve the fire crews. Thank you, sir!

The Kirk Complex Fire of 1999, which got within 1.5  miles of our house, just behind Chews Ridge, was a much more direct threat than this fire has been, so far. For some reason, I wasn't on edge quite so much during that fire, even though helicopter operations were intense. Flying out of the very same pasture at the Tassajara Road and Carmel Valley Road intersection were 9 heavy-lift bucket bearing choppers, drawing water from the reservoirs nearby.

The difference is communication. We know so much more about this fire, so much faster and earlier than ever before.