A view of the Bay Bridge from San Francisco. Photo: Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Day Orange is what we called it. I’m not certain what to make of the times we live in, but for so many of us here up and down the west coast, wednesday morning when we awoke to an apocalyptic orange haze we had a feeling of something eery.
An unsettling of sorts took hold of so many I know. You awake to a sky that was dark and hued in all sorts of orange, a bright red sun pushing its beam through the smoke, ash and fog and you felt like you’d entered a movie set.
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hb8o9H4TCg&w=854&h=480]You’ll surely come out of the theatre or wake up and the sky will feel airy and blue again. You’ll see the sun the way we’ve always known it and the blues of the sky will offer the comfort we’ve come to rely on throughout our lives.
There was no such luck. We googled and took pictures and posted and learned about the ash and smoke that made up that orange and gave us that trippy luminescence on that strange day.
The real story behind the sky is the 28 wildfires that are roaring through California. 14,000 firefighters are working to get a handle on the more than 2.5 million acres that has already been charred.
The water drought leaving us dry and ready to go up in flames. What seemed to be over now very much a looming issue, the California drought is back according to the Washington Post. One of dozens of agencies affirming the ongoing crisis in the state that is now leading to the insurmountable loss of land, structures and life.
California now fighting two on-going threats with little damage control in site – yes a potential corona virus vaccine that might be around the corner, but little that can be done about California’s twenty year water drought that has led us here.
The naysayers being put to rest about the falsehoods of climate change. Governor Newsome affirming to the BBC and other news outlets covering the fires for all those who downplay evidence based science – the evidence before us – Climate Change very much real and happening before our very eyes. “Just come to the state of California and observe it with your own eyes.”
The sky orange for even those who do not believe in Climate Change. Rose colored glasses could hardly tint the thickness of the haze that had descended on much of the Pacific Northwest.
For now we push on hoping for the best, some preparing for the worst, but even in that fear living with some sense of possibility for things to improve.
Sue Dhillon is a journalist, writer, author, trainer and energy worker. She is the founder and editor of SuesBlues Magazine.
WRITE FOR US
Want to submit a story? Are you a writer wanting to get your voice out? Well here are details on how you can pitch in and write for us. Submit your story, poetry, or short essays to suesblues.
Click here to learn more about story submissions.
