Prayers/Good thoughts for the American Northwest

Massive fires are raging there. :( People are dying and losing their homes.

Yes, prayers for everyone also. The smoke is thick up in BC.

Yes, prayers for everyone also. The smoke is thick up in BC.

I bet! I still have friends out that way.

I bet! I still have friends out that way.

I'm staying with family closer to the border near White Rock for a break this weekend. The air is clearer there but definitely praying and thinking of our neighbours south.

I'm staying with family closer to the border near White Rock for a break this weekend. The air is clearer there but definitely praying and thinking of our neighbours south.

I used to LOVE White Rock we would go there for a treat when I was little. My brother is bringing part of my Dad’s ashes to bury in Stanley Park this month.

Sorry to hear about that, Rose, and sending good thoughts to everyone caught up in this. It's been ashy skies here in LA for a few days as a fire burns 25 miles east in some of my favorite mountains. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Be careful American friends.

Can't even take a chance to go outside for a walk because the air is so smoky and ashy. I've had to go out a couple of times for quick errands and my car is coated with ash. Even in the heat I have to keep windows in my apartment closed so the smoke and ashes don't get inside. I do have two HEPA air filter machines, one personal size and one table top model so I am running those. Sky is orange, the sun is red and the air looks gray. Oh, and I don't have AC so I am hoping it doesn't get too unbearably hot.

Yet another thing making us stay at home. It's like the planet is crying out for us to give it a break already.

The fire started by one of those stupid, idiotic "gender reveal" "look at me look at ME!!!" events is infuriating. So much destruction because those people wanted everyone to pay attention to them. I presume they will be getting a large bill from the county or state for their destructive stupidity.

Can't even take a chance to go outside for a walk because the air is so smoky and ashy. I've had to go out a couple of times for quick errands and my car is coated with ash. Even in the heat I have to keep windows in my apartment closed so the smoke and ashes don't get inside. I do have two HEPA air filter machines, one personal size and one table top model so I am running those. Sky is orange, the sun is red and the air looks gray. Oh, and I don't have AC so I am hoping it doesn't get too unbearably hot.

 

Yet another thing making us stay at home. It's like the planet is crying out for us to give it a break already.

 

The fire started by one of those stupid, idiotic "gender reveal" "look at me look at ME!!!" events is infuriating. So much destruction because those people wanted everyone to pay attention to them. I presume they will be getting a large bill from the county or state for their destructive stupidity.

Stay safe ! ❤️

Ya I live in Surrey, like 20 mins from the border.....the smoke is so thick up here, it feels like I just smoked a pack of cigarettes yesterday. My husband was working in White Rock area for the last two days, he said it's been frickin brutal. My poor mom has COPD and she's hunkered down at her residence there. She's having a hard time with it.

Ya I live in Surrey, like 20 mins from the border.....the smoke is so thick up here, it feels like I just smoked a pack of cigarettes yesterday. My husband was working in White Rock area for the last two days, he said it's been frickin brutal. My poor mom has COPD and she's hunkered down at her residence there. She's having a hard time with it.

I am sorry guys. :(

I used to live in Surrey too when I was 7 and again when I was 11/12.

I am sorry guys. :(

 

I used to live in Surrey too when I was 7 and again when I was 11/12.

Did you move to the island?

Did you move to the island?

No, I never lived on the Island but went many times. I lived in Vancouver proper, North Van, Surrey and Richmond. I have lived back in Ontario since July 1985.

White Rock is ashy too. I've been in my own world the past week and in Vancouver working remotely (indoors). Apparently the smoke moved in here yesterday. Hope everyone is ok especially you Bluecastle and anyone in California, Oregon and Washington.

Sending thoughts and prayers to all those affected by these horrific circumstances.

Sending prayers, good thoughts, and hoping that the fires get under control soon.

It's absolutely devastating.

I live right by The Port Mann bridge....you can't even see it it's so socked in with smoke.

Ya I can't believe the devastation down there. They showed some of it on Live Rescue last night, as they were checking vehicles at a campground I just can't imagine what those people are experiencing. On the news they showed a fire burning just on the hillside in Los Angeles,....must be frightening. A sad story that you all probably know about, someone lost their baby in the fire, and the parents were badly burned, while hiking in the hills....so awful.

😓😓😓😓😓😓 so very very sad.

Fire closest to me (Bobcat) is only 6% contained. Full containment isn't expected until October 15th. The fire closest to where I am moving (El Dorado) is 41% contained. Air quality awful. I have noticed there isn't as much foot traffic in my neighborhood as there usually is. Although I did see a man jogging yesterday afternoon and was wondering if he ever turned on the news. I also saw a few people out walking their babies. Super bad idea to be jogging or even walking in this.

I hope there are no more deaths.

An hour outside of LA and our skies were ashy earlier this week. It seems to have passed for now. Thoughts and well wishes go out to anyone being affected.

Another reason to be done with this year. Can it be 2021 soon?

Thanks to all who are sending well-wishes (and thanks, Seraphim, for starting this thread!)

I live in California, more to the north, and while my city hasn't been in danger from the fires themselves (other than terrible, horrible air quality), my hometown (more to the middle of the state) was, and I spent a pretty traumatic weekend there a few weeks ago evacuating my disabled, elderly mom to a nearby hotel when my parents' neighborhood was under mandatory evacuation (my dad refused to evacuate, which is another story altogether and part of the "traumatic" part). My parents ended up being fine, as did their house/neighborhood, thankfully, and none of my friends or extended family lost their homes (though some did have to evacuate temporarily). At one point, there were over 300 active fires in the state all at once.

One of my favorite places in the world, southern Oregon, is also in flames right now, and it's heartbreaking. My husband and I had planned to travel there this year before COVID-19 hit, and now with the fires, it looks as though there might not be much to go to next year. :(

I was doing OK -- or as well as can be expected -- with the whole pandemic thing up to this point (other than being very sad for those who had lost their loved ones), but these fires, as well as other significant factors I won't get into (because I know we're not allowed to get political on here), have led me to the brink of despair of late. I just want to go to sleep and wake up in another time when all this isn't going on -- climate change, fires, pandemics, the political situation in the U.S., etc. Too much to hope for, I know.

In regard to bad air: I went out yesterday for a walk, and NO ONE was out; when I got home, my husband informed me that breathing in the air yesterday was "like smoking 20 packs of cigarettes." As someone who has never even smoked one cigarette, even once in my life, it made me pause. No walk for me today or probably for the foreseeable future, even though they feel necessary to my mental health at this point. *sigh*

Thanks to all who are sending well-wishes (and thanks, Seraphim, for starting this thread!)

 

I live in California, more to the north, and while my city hasn't been in danger from the fires themselves (other than terrible, horrible air quality), my hometown (more to the middle of the state) was, and I spent a pretty traumatic weekend there a few weeks ago evacuating my disabled, elderly mom to a nearby hotel when my parents' neighborhood was under mandatory evacuation (my dad refused to evacuate, which is another story altogether and part of the "traumatic" part). My parents ended up being fine, as did their house/neighborhood, thankfully, and none of my friends or extended family lost their homes (though some did have to evacuate temporarily). At one point, there were over 300 active fires in the state all at once.

 

One of my favorite places in the world, southern Oregon, is also in flames right now, and it's heartbreaking. My husband and I had planned to travel there this year before COVID-19 hit, and now with the fires, it looks as though there might not be much to go to next year. :(

 

I was doing OK -- or as well as can be expected -- with the whole pandemic thing up to this point (other than being very sad for those who had lost their loved ones), but these fires, as well as other significant factors I won't get into (because I know we're not allowed to get political on here), have led me to the brink of despair of late. I just want to go to sleep and wake up in another time when all this isn't going on -- climate change, fires, pandemics, the political situation in the U.S., etc. Too much to hope for, I know.

 

In regard to bad air: I went out yesterday for a walk, and NO ONE was out; when I got home, my husband informed me that breathing in the air yesterday was "like smoking 20 packs of cigarettes." As someone who has never even smoked one cigarette, even once in my life, it made me pause. No walk for me today or probably for the foreseeable future, even though they feel necessary to my mental health at this point. *sigh*

Glad you are ok and your family too. Yes, there's some confusion about sore throats and whether it's Covid-related or from the smoke. Hope you all continue to stay safe too.

😓😓😓😓😓😓 so very very sad.

The pier in New Westminster just burnt down last night. Took 4 fire departments and Vancouver harbor fire boat to put it out. It reeked of burnt creosote over to us in Surrey. The smoke was intense. The park along there is destroyed :( 2020 enough already!