Wild Fires

A week ago I contacted a good friend in Colorado about a massive wildfire raging just north of their community. Not only has it burned over a significant area of scenic beauty, more than 250 homes were destroyed. She told me that while the fire was 30 to 40 kilometres to the north they were forced to hold their Vacation Bible School, which she directed, entirely inside because the smoke was so heavy. A couple of the kids still struggled because of asthma.

Another fire has developed to the south of Denver and again it is huge, fast-moving, and has already destroyed many homes. It is an area which is home to someone else I know, a fellow who was a roommate when I took a course at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, where there are also fires.

Many of the places we enjoyed during our vacation week in Colorado last summer are off limits to tourists now because of these fires. They include the spectacular Garden of the Gods area with its unique red rock formations. This is such a beautiful state and it is sad to know it is in flames.

The very high temperatures of this early summer, up near 40 degrees celsius have contributed to one of the worst fire seasons in memory, and it is only June. Once again scientists are asking whether this is another example of the effects of climate change, as they did last summer in Texas where the combination of heat and drought led to terrible fires. Read this reflection by a climate change scientists who is a Christian. http://sojo.net/blogs/2012/06/22/climate-scientist-christian-climate-change-and-wildfires

Do you know anyone affected? What are your thoughts about all this?