My California cousins live in Lake Forest, CA. It’s an area without a natural lake or forest! Man has taken over where Mother Nature came up short. They both exist now.
Cousins Michael, Melissa and Max have split to the coast tonight. Fire isn’t imminent, but its effects are being felt. Ash covers the neighborhood streets. Acrid smoke fills the skies… and their lungs.
Last night Michael and I chatted on the phone. Looking past the now decommissioned El Toro Marine Air Station, the sky was orange. The fire was within four or five miles of their house.
It must be scary to be so close to something so destructive and at the same time so unpredictable. It’s a different kind of fear than their standard fallback – earthquakes. There’s no anticipation with quakes.
Every place has some natural peril. This is theirs.
I guess at some point I’m going to have to decide if I’m willing to let it be mine.