Smoke No More

It is becoming difficult to remember when we had clear blue skies. That is turning into a ruined last month of Summer. It isn't just about weather, it is all about tourism. The restaurants and stores along with marinas are suffering a dearth of people.

First, we had the Cape Horn Fire, which through thoughtless  publications from the Spokane TV Stations, kept on hammering on smoke, fire and the proximity of these fires, gave the impression that Bayview was out of bounds due to near by fires. I put that (fire) out by seducing  TV crew into actually learning the facts, rather than just using press releases about  percentages of containment rather than on scene reporting.

Then the three Sister Fire, which never actually was seen in Bayview.

Now we have the smoke. For days, now, smoke has settled into our little valley and has stayed. Smoke from fires north and west of us has joined into a devilish cloud of smoke, dust and hey, a couple of sprinkles of rain.

No end is end sight save the age old forest service statement that only the winter storms will put these fires out. It doesn't just end there.

Next spring, we will see devastating mud slides, baring rock that will not grow new trees. Homes that were not destroyed from fire will succumb to these land slides.

It's going to get worse. Much worse. Only time will tell how bad. In the mean time, the restaurants, marinas and other businesses have lost their best months of profitability  and are faced with the winter people that number about 300 to the 3000 summer crowd. The boat owners,Float home people and other fair weather friends, will be gone, and some of the Great recession effects will be present.