CURRENT LOCAL WILDFIRE

Checking in just to let my peeps know I'm still home for now. The huge local wildfire raging on for the last several days has us all on edge and glued to our news channels for the most up-to-date alerts and evacuation orders. At present, the fire has consumed about 20,000 acres, totally destroyed 69 homes, damaged at least 100 more homes, and is only 40% contained. We have no rain in site in our weather forecast, so this is bad. Our weather is ranging in the 70's and 80's and all sunny and beautiful as anyone would hope for this time of year here at the beach, aside from the billowing smoke clouds. This fire has traveled northward along the Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach with amazing ravage spurred on by our highly gusty beach winds which are normal this time of year. I'm going to attempt to organize a slide show to post here of my collected photos downloaded from the local news websites so you guys can see more of what's really happening here. Schools are closed, visibility is bad, breathing is difficult for anybody with respiratory problems or smoke allergy, some families are displaced having lost their homes, others under evacuation orders. Relief and fire-fighting efforts are well organized. People feel on pins and needles, however. Fire is, of course, one of Mother Nature's strongest forces. My youngest daughter's home is in the current fire path, which we never dreamed possible when this fire began almost 30 miles away a few days ago. We will know whether her home is taken probably in the next 24 hours. Until I get the slide show posted, here are a few pics.


I'll be back in touch when things calm down a bit. It's "hot" here in more ways than one!

Tootles!