Somebody needs to call Social Services on Mother Nature...
I think the heat is finally getting to me. The last two days I've been in a completely foul humor.
The high for the day hasn't been below 97 degrees since sometime last week. The heat and various other sources of stress has been making sleep difficult.
And then there's been this...
Yes, that would be yet another wildfire. This one is way to the south of us--in Tyrrell, Washington and Hyde County. It is however, the largest active wildfire in the U.S. at the moment--About 35,000 acres (56 square miles) have burned thus far, about half of that in the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
I was finally able to find a summary of damage thus far through the wildlife refuge homepage as well as updates and air quality reports. The Daily Advance Disappointment (local newspaper) has been largely silent on the subject--no big surprise since they didn't get out reliable reports when a good bit of Camden was on fire. I've also given up on waiting out the long load times of all the VA news stations since all they seem to be able to discuss is how tourists are reacting to finding half the beach covered in dense smoke. The first I knew of it was last Friday when Rob and I were coming home and ran into choking smoke about 5 miles from home. Of course I checked the news to see where said smoke was coming from and discovered that a chunk of Northeastern NC had been on fire for almost a week.
Fires in swamplands are harder to fight than you'd think--considering they're really damp. Not only are large areas too mushy to support the heavier equipment used to fight wildfires but large amounts of peat and charcoal mean that these fires can smolder for long periods of time (weeks to decades) and flare up again unexpectedly. This being the second wildfire we've had in the swamp this year, I've been shuddering at the environmental impact. Pocosin Lake is our biggest preserve that's a habitat for red wolves and other endangered species.
Evidently, residents in the effected counties have had some difficulties because of these animals fleeing from the fire. From International Firefighting News:
"Strawser said she fielded at least a dozen calls Monday from area residents reporting the uncommon sight of a bear or some other refuge animal on their property. One woman called to say there were seven bears in her yard.
"She said, 'I'm scared to go to my mailbox,' and I said, 'So don't go to your mailbox,' " Strawser said.
Good advice.
The same article says we can expect cooler temperatures tomorrow but that wind speeds will increase to 20 mph or so, making the fire more likely to spread.
For the last few days, the wind has been from the southwest, which is why a wildfire is adding to my crankiness.
No, that's not a mushroom cloud in progress. It's an aerial view of the smoke from the wildfire as of yesterday.
Friday, since I have the worst timing on earth, I opened all the upstairs windows to cool off the house and get that winter "closed up" smell out of the house.
It's most definitely gone and has been replaced by the smell of burning swamp. If you've ever smelled burning peat, you know what I'm talking about--It stinks...bad.
It's also not pleasant to breathe. Depending on wind strength and direction, I've been breathing it constantly for several days. Most mornings I've woken up with my chest and eyes aching and have required a couple hot beverages before I could do more that whisper. I have pretty much a constant headache.
If the smoke from this one is anything like the fire in Camden in February (and though it's much further away, it seems likely since it's 10 times as big), I can expect to feel this way off and on for a month or two.
In order to leave the house, I have to breathe smoke and very hot air--Yard work results in pretty much immediate dizziness and coughing.
I have cabin fever...in the middle of summer. That sucks.
Since I'm stuck in the house most of the time, I've been trying to catch up on desperately needed cleaning. It has been frustrating for all the usual reasons. There's just too much to do and every time I accomplish one thing, it seems like 20 other tasks pop up requiring attention--The heat making the cats shed and spew hairballs everywhere, curtains and bedding needing to be washed to get the smoke stink out, garbage accumulating that needs to be taken off.
It's frustrating.
So for the moment, I'm going to ignore it all, quit bitching, flop down in front of the AC with a large glass of tea and be oblivious for awhile.
The high for the day hasn't been below 97 degrees since sometime last week. The heat and various other sources of stress has been making sleep difficult.
And then there's been this...
Yes, that would be yet another wildfire. This one is way to the south of us--in Tyrrell, Washington and Hyde County. It is however, the largest active wildfire in the U.S. at the moment--About 35,000 acres (56 square miles) have burned thus far, about half of that in the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
I was finally able to find a summary of damage thus far through the wildlife refuge homepage as well as updates and air quality reports. The Daily Advance Disappointment (local newspaper) has been largely silent on the subject--no big surprise since they didn't get out reliable reports when a good bit of Camden was on fire. I've also given up on waiting out the long load times of all the VA news stations since all they seem to be able to discuss is how tourists are reacting to finding half the beach covered in dense smoke. The first I knew of it was last Friday when Rob and I were coming home and ran into choking smoke about 5 miles from home. Of course I checked the news to see where said smoke was coming from and discovered that a chunk of Northeastern NC had been on fire for almost a week.
Fires in swamplands are harder to fight than you'd think--considering they're really damp. Not only are large areas too mushy to support the heavier equipment used to fight wildfires but large amounts of peat and charcoal mean that these fires can smolder for long periods of time (weeks to decades) and flare up again unexpectedly. This being the second wildfire we've had in the swamp this year, I've been shuddering at the environmental impact. Pocosin Lake is our biggest preserve that's a habitat for red wolves and other endangered species.
Evidently, residents in the effected counties have had some difficulties because of these animals fleeing from the fire. From International Firefighting News:
"Strawser said she fielded at least a dozen calls Monday from area residents reporting the uncommon sight of a bear or some other refuge animal on their property. One woman called to say there were seven bears in her yard.
"She said, 'I'm scared to go to my mailbox,' and I said, 'So don't go to your mailbox,' " Strawser said.
Good advice.
The same article says we can expect cooler temperatures tomorrow but that wind speeds will increase to 20 mph or so, making the fire more likely to spread.
For the last few days, the wind has been from the southwest, which is why a wildfire is adding to my crankiness.
No, that's not a mushroom cloud in progress. It's an aerial view of the smoke from the wildfire as of yesterday.
Friday, since I have the worst timing on earth, I opened all the upstairs windows to cool off the house and get that winter "closed up" smell out of the house.
It's most definitely gone and has been replaced by the smell of burning swamp. If you've ever smelled burning peat, you know what I'm talking about--It stinks...bad.
It's also not pleasant to breathe. Depending on wind strength and direction, I've been breathing it constantly for several days. Most mornings I've woken up with my chest and eyes aching and have required a couple hot beverages before I could do more that whisper. I have pretty much a constant headache.
If the smoke from this one is anything like the fire in Camden in February (and though it's much further away, it seems likely since it's 10 times as big), I can expect to feel this way off and on for a month or two.
In order to leave the house, I have to breathe smoke and very hot air--Yard work results in pretty much immediate dizziness and coughing.
I have cabin fever...in the middle of summer. That sucks.
Since I'm stuck in the house most of the time, I've been trying to catch up on desperately needed cleaning. It has been frustrating for all the usual reasons. There's just too much to do and every time I accomplish one thing, it seems like 20 other tasks pop up requiring attention--The heat making the cats shed and spew hairballs everywhere, curtains and bedding needing to be washed to get the smoke stink out, garbage accumulating that needs to be taken off.
It's frustrating.
So for the moment, I'm going to ignore it all, quit bitching, flop down in front of the AC with a large glass of tea and be oblivious for awhile.