In the early hours of the morning, I awoke to crashes of thunder and brilliant lightning flashes. I started counting. One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand … five one thousand, boom! Five miles away. Another flash, another countdown. I calculated the size and age of burn scars around us. Was it enough of a buffer to relax and go back to sleep? My dream-slogged brain recalled a series of text messages from 12 years ago as if it were happening now. “You out?” “get out now,” and “please come stay with me.” That last memory jolted me fully awake.
I lay awake until dawn, grateful for the hail and rain. Grateful for preparedness, and plans, and safe places to land. Grateful for friends who check in. Wondering if I had time after first light to walk to a high point and check for smoke signals before I had to drive to Omak for an appointment. Wondering if I should cancel the appointment in Omak. Watchful neighbors had already called in three fires in the lower valley. All three fires were extinguished within days.
Later that day as the sun sunk low in the sky and fires burned elsewhere in the county, I walked through old burn areas, brushing my fingers along new growth and old burn marks. My white dog gathered smudge marks as easily as a blank wall collects street art. Note to self … dog name for white dog with black marks: Banksy.
The red currants shone brilliant in the sunlight against blackened tree trunks — every small grouping of burnt trees had a collection of young currants growing around the base of the trunks. Red currants are one of the first plants to grow after a burn, fire stimulates seed and root crown growth.
The Kaiser Fire on the east side of Okanogan County is an opportunity to be a good neighbor today. The fire is over 60,000 acres with 0% containment. All of Nespelem and the seat of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation government are evacuated, and many families are displaced. The River Warriors and xa?xa? Indigenous Birth Justice workers are out there digging lines, helping elders evacuate, and hauling supplies. The call from Faith Zacherle Tonasket — member of both 501c3 organizations — is for gas cards for families to evacuate, and gift cards for families who’ve lost everything. Any amount sent to her Venmo is going straight to community needs. Venmo her at Faith Tonasket, colvilleibj@gmail.com.
The Omak Community Center is serving as an evacuation center and is in need of fresh fruit and individually wrapped snacks. Drop-off is at 601 Benton St. in Omak.
The Methow Valley Interpretive Center (MVIC) is also organizing a relief response. Donate directly to center: www.methowvalleyinterpretivecenter.org/, with a note that states “wildfire relief.” Drop off donations of gas cards, Wal-Mart cards, nonperishable food items and basic necessities on the Fifth Ave front porch of the MVIC, and they will deliver items to tribal partner organizations doing direct relief work.
