The Smoke from a Distant Fire

The fire started just over the ridge from our home, fortunately on the other side of the 14 freeway, which acted as a firebreak for most of Saturday. The air was a strange Armageddon-like orange colour and one of our neighbours came over to see if we were packing up our valuables yet (we weren't). On Sunday morning the fire was moving away from us and seemed less of a threat so my husband and I went to see friends at Redondo Beach, mostly to get away from the smoke and ash, which is everywhere, the ash piling up in little drifts like snow. While we were sitting on the beach, which is a good 45 miles away we suddenly saw a huge plume of smoke go up in the distance and knew it had to be the fire again.

Susanna Luck, Santa Clarita, USA