Editor:
Fires crossing borders; it's what you can't (or won't) see that's really disturbing.
I'm driving in Canada, just north of the 49th Parallel on a recent Friday afternoon. Our area, Tsawwassen, oft times gets referred to as 'sunny' Tsawwassen, here in beautiful B.C., but not today. Our home is normally in sight at this point, the hill obliterated by smoke. I have to say, our 'discomfort' pales in comparison to the human toll that's taking place to the south of us.
Prevailing winds has brought the cumulative smokes from the forest fires to the south of us; Washington State, Oregon, and California. Out-of-control forest fires burning from here to the Mexican border. You know it's close and it's bad when it's miles from you, yet you can smell it.
I think of, and can only imagine, hardships facing thousands of displaced Americans now homeless in the states below here. I'm hearing stories of some who had just rebuilt anew from the losses suffered in forest fires of the past couple of years and now their new home(s) are lost to these even greater forest fires.
I have little difficulty recalling the many road trips by motorcycle and by car ‘cancelled' over the past 20 summers because of the forest fires here in the west. I'd ridden and driven through about five fires. It's sad. So I ask you to have a think; what are we, as individuals, doing to try to reverse this scourge to our lives?
Bill Hamilton
