Fire
Here's a poem and a link to an article in response to the tragedies we're seeing with urban wildfires.
Cleaving limbs from elm and Tree of Heaven Dad piled them along the parking strip A no-man's-land boundary between City road And what Dad called his "North Forty." It didn't take long for the neighborhood kids to appear Bouncing high until just shy of breaking the branches That groaned and hissed as the big boys dared each other To grab tree leaves fluttering over their heads. Little kids rocked on the edges of the pile, slipping And crying when their legs sunk through the gaps Older girls challenged the boys for a spot on the top Their scratches worn like badges for show-and-tell. When darkness fell and mothers called, we went inside. Morning brought screams and parents rushing around Pajama clad, we watched in horror as flames devoured Our makeshift trampoline. Sparks floated toward leaves Dangling above the street, wind-whipped by the roaring heat. Neighbors dragged hoses that dribbled on the fire No one knew how it started or had time to ask around A tossed cigarette or a kid with a match and a grudge? We couldn't think or speak as we watched it all burn. At last, a bright red engine arrived with determined firemen Hooking a hose to the hydrant we used to test our ability to fly They blasted the branches to a sodden mass of shattered twigs It smoldered awhile then died as we all turned and walked away.
Here’s a different perspective on urban wildfires and how we, as individuals, can prevent them:
Two Fire Experts Discribe Inconvenient Truths About LA Fires by Thomas Curwen of the L.A. Times
As the above article explains, Jack Cohen and Stephen Pyne are experts in the science of fire who travel the country instructing people about maintaining residential landscapes to prevent wildfires. They have been disappointed with the response to their talks and we are now seeing the results.
If you enjoyed this post, feel free to explore other writings in the Ring Around the Basin Archive. I also love to read your comments, so please share your thoughts. Let’s start a conversation. And if you wish to support my writings, please consider subscribing or upgrading to a paid subscription. It’s now only $50/year. Even better, I would appreciate it if you could share Ring Around the Basin with your friends. Thank you!
All my books, Paradise Ridge, When the Horses Come and Go, and Ghost in the Forest are currently available on Kindle. Ghost in the Forest, is also available in paperback. Paradise Ridge is out-of-print, but the Kindle version is re-edited and better quality.
Book Review of Ghost in the Forest:
"Ghost in The Forest' is a great read! Take note People. If you love stories about environmentalism and nature, its clash with urban mindsets, as well as personal transformation, this is the book for you!
"Ghost in The Forest" is a quick 126-page read. It's the story of Dori, a woman trapped in a mix of grief over parental loss and refusing to accept how her hometown and her friends have changed over the years. Because of this, Dori has become a recluse and a self-imposed misanthrope who finds more comfort amongst the hiking trails around her hometown of Morristown than in her dealings with the raw reality of other humans.
The book, in some ways, resembled Edward Abbey’s “Desert Solitaire” in that the story follows a protagonist's love of nature and angst about humans encroaching on it. In this case, it’s how Morristown is transforming into a mountain biking destination where cyclists run rampant on trails and nature.
However, a tragedy involving said mountain biking becomes a major pivot point for Dori, leading to a series of events that eventually bring about personal evolution and discovery.
If you're a nature lover, this book is a must-read. It beautifully portrays the clash between environmentalism and urban mindsets and the journey of personal transformation. The book's vivid descriptions of nature and the protagonist's love for it will surely intrigue you.
Paradise Ridge Review by western author D. B. Jackson:
If you draw circle roughly around an area that includes northern Nevada, southern Oregon, and southern Idaho, within that circle exists a culture and people who live a lifestyle largely untouched by modern values. These are the "buckaroos" and Basque characters author Sue Cauhape brings to life in her literary novel, "Paradise Ridge".
Leandro, the illegitimate seventh son of patriarch Xavier Arriaga and his mistress, Gisela, is at the center of this intriguing story that travels exceedingly successfully at both the personal level of the characters, as well as the compelling level where the story is told.
Cauhape writes in a literary style that reminds me of Annie Poulx. Paradise Ridge, on the surface, appears to be an upscale Western novel...once inside the pages, you will soon discover a potential classic waiting to be discovered.
I rated this book a 5...because that's all the stars there were.
"A tossed cigarette or a kid with a match and a grudge?" It is absolutely terrifying to think that that is all it would take to set entire cities ablaze - just one careless or deranged person. Very timely, Sue.
Powerful poem, Sue! I smelled the smoke, and the wet wood, after the fire was extinguished. The sounds of the children playing, and the silence of their shock, at the loss. Great articles..a different approach is definitely needed. What we are doing is not working. I live in a wooded area in Northern California, and our insurance was pulled, twice. Now we are on a state run plan. It is a big problem. Thanks for the informative articles.