As I mentioned in a previous post, we are having a particularly dry year here in Southern NM. Wildfires are happening nearly daily since we have some thunderstorms blowing through and lightening strikes are common. I wish those same storms would drop some rain. To be safe the national forests nearest to us are closed to the public, big signs plaster the stores on the way out of town that leads up to the mountains. Lincoln National Forest Closed, NO Campfires, NO picnics, NO offroading, Trails closed.
This is a picture of the Organ Mountains in Las Cruces, my other hometown, burning last week.The fire is now contained.We had planned on taking a camping trip this summer, escaping the desert heat, but we will have to wait and see if they are open after the monsoons. We even thought of "camping" at our house, but I am fearful of having a fire here. We are surrounded by 100+ acres of dry brush and a plenty of things to burn. A stray ember or spark could be pretty dangerous. I guess I could have my dad standby with a fire truck.
My dad and brother are both volunteer fireman and have been very busy the past few weeks. Last week they responded to a call and ended up staying at a ranch for a few days with the Rocky Fire. Out of cell phone range, and "requested" to stay there by a government entity to protect that line if the wind blew the fire their way, it gave us a little consternation about their safety. My mom felt better once they took some of my dads medicines out to him. I think he has been to brush fire every day since they came back from that fire.
When I hear the world wildfire, I tend to think of three things, California, a Michael Martin Murphy song (also a New Mexican by the way) and Smokey Bear.
Did you know that Smokey Bear is a New Mexican? Just in case you are wondering his official title is Smokey Bear, not Smokey the Bear. He was found as a cub in 1950 in Capitan, NM after a wildfire. Burned badly he was taken to Santa Fe and treated and then was offered as symbol of fire prevention to the Forest Service and spent his life at the National Zoo. You can read the story here.
15 comments:
I know the photo is of wildfires, but it is a beautiful looking photo. Strange isn't it.
I love the info about Smokey. Stay safe.
You are having wildfires due to dryness and my family is in the middle of flooding in the Midwest.
I have a Smokey Bear in the center of my town who announces our threat level. Personally, I think they ignore him completely cuz our level is always the same: moderate.
I kind of hate that song.
Wildfires are a threat in much of Western Canada... I remember a few really bad ones when I lived out West. Like it was said above... the photo is eerily beautiful... beauty in destruction I suppose.
Be careful...
KC
Wow! Cool photo! In a scary-cool-kind-of-way.
Hey. I kind of like that MMM song. Loved it when I was in high school. Used to sing it (while playing my guitar) all the time. I saw MMM in a really weird biker bar in Pismo Beach, Ca. It was a great show albeit a very weird venue. I heard he still lives in Taos...
It's dry up here in ABQ, too. Storms are all around us this evening. Lots of lightening strikes, wind, but very little rain. I pray for rain but now they say that the monsoons won't be here until July. Uh-huh. I'll believe it when I see it.
We still have all of our (brand new) camping gear and fishin' poles and have yet to try them out. I'm hoping to go on vaca the end of July.
Just in time for the monsoons... lol.
Uh-huh.
;)
Wow. What a great photo of such an unfortunate thing.
And great Smokey Bear trivia - smiles!
Im trying to do your listing for MomDot.com and I am not sure which category you fall under..can you please go see under BLOG LISTINGS and then email me? ThankyoU!
I thought the photo was beautiful too, thotlady.
I remember a Smokey Bear PSA that tried to get the word out he's not Smokey THE Bear -- just like it's not Santa THE Claus or Easter THE Bunny! Didn't know he was a New Mexican.
Hope you get a chance to take a trip! Then you can search for *lepidoptera* and *odonata*. ;)
Loooooove that song. I'm playing it right now. I had to open a new tab so I could come back to you and say hi and still listen to it.
* * * *
There's been a hoot owl howling outside my window now 6 nights in a row. She's coming for me I know. And on Wildfire we 're both going to go. We'll be riding wiiildfiiiire.....
* * * *
Thanks for that. Nice. :-)
BTW my father was a Forester and spent lots of times fighting wildfires. He would tell us all the stories of digging a fireline around the fire and working hard and then high on the hill he'd see the winds shift and the fire jump the line. And they'd start digging again.
He'd be really sad when he heard firefighters that were used to structure fires get too close to the fire and then when the winds shifted they couldn't out run it.
They move FAST!
It is a pretty picture. Wild.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! :)
I commented something similar on another blog today (honestly don't remember whose)...but I love fire. I love candles and campfires...but wildfires freak me out. They just seem so alive...
oh, I remember Smokey the Bear
Stay safe, please! Don't freak out my shit and all by posting those scary photos!
Smokey Bears voice from the commercials in the 70s and 80s is ringing in my head now.
In contrast, in my neck of the woods its raining just a little bit too much for my liking.
So Smokey Bear, any relation to Smokey & The Bandit? ;)
By the way folks. We did get a little rain night before last and I think it is about time for Monsoons to start, so hopefully it will all work out. I must say I do really like that picture, even though it saddens me at the same time. The Organs are always beautiful, I miss seeing them every day.
Whoa...that photo is stunning. In all various ways that word can be taken.
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