Once again, it’s not our smoke.
As in past years, we are living in the plumes of fires all around us, suffering with substandard air quality that originated somewhere else. It can affect our health, possibly threaten our livelihoods if we are in the hospitality business, and disrupt our daily routines to the point that just deciding whether to go outside is a serious calculation. Last weekend, with wise caution, Cascadia Music moved its 40th anniversary party from Twisp Park to the Methow Valley Community Center, whose retrofitted cooling and filtration systems make it a comfortable alternative. As long as the smoke lingers and temperatures remain high, we’ll be making more of those kinds of decisions.
The smoke drops a dreary pall over our lovely valley, frequently obscuring views in all directions. We can see, as well as smell, exactly how bad it is.
So yes, we are inconvenienced. And that makes us the lucky ones.
We’ve had some scares this season, including a startlingly close encounter with a wildfire that actually probed inside the Winthrop town limits. There have been other minor outbreaks that were quickly addressed by our alert first responders.
As we reported last week, lightning-sparked fires recently sprinkled the region, including half a dozen in the Methow Ranger District. Most are small and manageable, others are so remote that the most sensible option is to monitor and let them burn. Thinly spread resources are needed elsewhere.
But over on the Colville Reservation, the Kaiser Canyon Fire is wreaking havoc as unfriendly conditions have hampered firefighters. Other fires in our region are forcing hurried evacuations. It seems like we are hearing of new outbreaks every day.
As anyone who has lived here for even a few years knows, that could be us in a heartbeat. Such awareness has shaped our behavior dramatically since the Carlton Complex Fire of 2014. We are more attentive, better prepared, quicker to respond and accustomed to adapting. That has required a progressive community-wide effort on a number of fronts, from FireWise practices to volunteer training of the like that made it possible for Winthrop residents to be quickly — and personally — alerted to the Hamilton Fire.
There is no time when we can let our guard down. It’s only August in a fire season that now can extend to the first serious snowfall.
There are a lot of things we can do that are common-sense and frankly not that difficult to manage. Be cognizant of reliable information sources, and sign up for emergency alerts. Know what the evacuation levels mean and how to be prepared for them. Think about special preparations you might need to make, such as making sure pets and livestock are taken care of. Scope out evacuation routes, and emergency resources within and outside the community. Set up systems for communicating with family members, friends and neighbors. Welcome the fire camps if they are necessary. Pay attention to outdoor burning bans. Naturally caused blazes are bad enough without human stupidity making things worse.
And if you need some attitude adjustment — that is, if you feel put-upon because fire or the threat of fire makes our lives more challenging — then deal with that now. The rest of us don’t want to hear complaints about road closures or unexpected disruptions. Fire isn’t personal, and it’s not about you. We especially don’t need armchair critiques about how the fires are being fought in the moment. Trust the professionals to do their jobs as best they can with the resources available.
There isn’t any particular mojo or book of incantations that will protect us from wildfires in or near the valley this year. But there’s also nothing preventing us from being prepared to respond in ways that are most likely to save lives and property. It’s a shared responsibility, something this community is familiar with. That’s a trait we can put to excellent use.
Counting the votes
Like many of you, we’re eager to see the results of next week’s Primary Election. Because the News goes to press Tuesday afternoon, we won’t be able to fully report on the outcomes and their implications until the Aug. 12 issue. We will aim to have preliminary results posted on our Facebook page after the polls close Tuesday.
