Bobcat Fire Smoke Drifting Over Sun Valley
Can you breathe? I can’t. Even in my home with doors and windows closed I still smell the aroma of smoke as I enter the kitchen each morning. As I look out the window from my upper story bedroom I can see the pall of smoke that’s covering Sun Valley. While just a month before we were experiencing smoke drifting southward from the Lake Fire, new fires have erupted, including the one they’re calling the Bobcat Fire which is located in the Angeles National Forest just north of Monrovia.
This fire has scorched over 30,000 acres and as of this writing is only 6% contained. If the news story I saw this morning on television is to be believed, fire officials tell us that we will be dealing with the effects of this fire and its smoke until late October!
The thought of being sequestered for more than another month is one I don’t like to contemplate. Aside from the attendant health risks from breathing the smoke-filled air the psychological effects of sealing our homes and staying indoors even more than before could be devastating.
It doesn’t take fire expert or meteorologist to understand why we’re being hit with the effects of this fire. You only need to take a look at the map to see the location of this fire, stick a moistened finger in the air, gauge the wind direction and you know because Monrovia is only a 20-25 minute drive from Sun Valley that the smoke is going to drift right on top of us.
Jose Mier’s Sun Valley to Desert Drive
I took a drive from Sun Valley to the desert cities this weekend and aside from those cities themselves the entire 120 mile drive was through haze and smoke. It did not let up until I had reached my destination. The stretch from Pasadena to Monrovia and Azusa was especially smoky. Cars left outside even for a few hours will have a generous dusting of ash on them. And just think, this is what we’re pulling into our lungs. Can we survive more than 30 days of dealing with these dangerous air conditions?
We can and we will because we have no choice. Plus, Sun Valley residents are pretty resilient. Like the restaurant owners in our community keep dealing with the 1- 2- and even 3-punch blows the coronavirus is giving them, we will accommodate and adapt as long as we need to. Even as we are prohibited from joining our fellow worshipers and churches due to the coronavirus we can all individually get on her knees and pray that some freak rainstorm Will come put out these fires and let us breathe a little easier once more. Can I get an Amen?
