The woods are burning.

So here in Eastern Washington we don't get Tornado's, Tsunami's, Big Earthquakes, Bad Flooding or Hurricanes.    We get forests fires and big ones. Over the past couple days there have been over 100 in Eastern Washington.  Including the one just over the ridge from my house.

From where I work in Brewster, Wa I could see three plumes of smoke. On from where I live, one from Gold creek and one from the town of Grand Coulee.

It all started because we had zero rain in the month of August and early September. Then one night a big thunder storm came over. I must say the lightning show was amazing. I opened all the shades at the back of my house and watched it as I went to sleep.

Gold Creek Fire

Now the valley I live in is filled with smoke depending on how the wind is blowing. I am scared that the fire will come over the ridge and into the valley where I live. Worst of all some of my hunting areas are being burned up.  The road to all my grouse hunting areas is closed.  I just hope that it is underbrush burning and not the whole forest, only time will tell. The areas that I hunt that are not burning are filler with thick smoke. I am unsure how it will affect the deer in that area. I guess when hunting season comes, the deer will either be there or they wont.

At least my duck hunting areas are not burning.

The fire by my house is last estimated to around 1000 acres and the one near Grand Coulee is around 30,000 acres. These numbers are what I think I remember hearing on the radio.

I also just want to thank all the local, state and federal fire fighters working hard to put these fires out. I have some close friends fighting them and I know how much time they are away from their families.