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Originally published 7/21/14 If you'd like to help those who have lost their home or livelihood to the fires the best place to donate right now is the Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/wa/spokane  Entiat fires as seen near Rocky Reach Dam on Entiat River Road Fire, fire everywhere! We moved to Central Washington from the rainy West side in the spring of 2011 and every year forest fires have been in the forefront of everyone's mind the closer summer comes. I made a joke that first year that there were actually five seasons over here: fall, winter, spring, summer and fire season. It was a joke that has proved to be true. The first job I had after our move was right smack in the middle of Front Street in Leavenworth. I worked at Bearly Purrfect, which has since been remodeled into Cup and Kettle, which sits just above the Cheesemonger's. Though the job was “just” scooping ice cream and serving tourists, I loved it and miss it, and my co-workers and bosses, almost everyday. Working there, with life-long residents, taught me a lot about the area. I learned about local life, hiking spots and adventures to be had in Central Washington and I learned about the fires. They told me which fires raged when, honestly there have been so many I forget them all. The fires are named, not like hurricanes which are named after people, fire names come from the areas they consume and they year they raged. Look anywhere around here and you see remnants of past fires. Talk to anyone local and they can tell you their stories of the worst fires. Fire season is a part of life here and it has become a part of mine too. The first real bad fire I remember was in 2012. I was working at the Wenatchee Valley Tech Center with my beloved JAG students and fires raged between Wenatchee and Cashmere through September. My asthmatic tendencies made it hard for me to breathe and I spent the better part of the month in a mask. I was amazed at how the kids took it all in stride. They knew it would be over soon enough and it was no real cause for concern. I was freaking out that there was a fire so close but they shrugged it off and went about their days like it was normal. It was shocking. Fire that close to home seemed anything but normal to me but I was still new here, I didn't get it. Last year the fires got closer. We had one start on Eagle Creek, they called it a sleeper fire. Sleeper fires are caused when lightening strikes and catches a spark but it simmers for days, sometimes weeks before it ignites. Eagle Creek cutoff was just a half mile away from our house on Chumstick Highway. Talk about hitting close to home! Our family came up with a fire emergency plan. We decided on the important things to take; the humans, the pets, the computer, the pictures. Our photo albums stayed in a box for easy removal and the computer tower was easy enough to unplug and pull out in an evacuation. And then we waited to see what the fires did … and let life happen. The fire raged, the firefighters were heroes and eventually it was contained and burned out and life continued in Central Washington as it had every year before. One more plot of land left reminders of what fire can do and one more fire season went in the books. This year the the fires came early and are burning hot, fast and relentlessly. A co-worker who lives in Entiat had to drive for nearly two hours to get around that fire to come in to work before the road reopened. Hearing her plans for her animals and home made me realize how carefree my attitude is toward the fires because we're not home owners. If we lose our home in the fire, all we lose is stuff, we have insurance to cover that. If we owned our home it would be so much worse. That makes me think of Pateros. We've been there, my daughter and I had dinner there, it's a lovely little place and now it's gone. I wonder how many more houses will be lost. Highway 2 is still closed because of the fires, Winthrop is without power, what else will the fires affect before they're burned out? I have no idea when reprieve will come but I know that it will. In the meantime I have no doubt the firefighters will continue to fight using all the resources they have and that the community will continue to support their efforts. Despite the tragedy, I am proud. Our community support for our firefighters is commendable, I've seen children pull out guitars and sing songs of praise to a group firemen taking a break. I've seen signs of thanks posted on fences. I've heard the announcements in Safeway for fundraisers for those in Pateros who have lost their homes. I am deeply saddened for those who are displaced and worry along with others whose houses are still threatened but I am proud. I am proud of the citizens, of the community and of the brave firefighters doing their best to keep the devastation away from our communities. I get it now. It's fire season, it's part of life and we do what we can to get through it. More info on how to help victims of the fires: http://mynorthwest.com/108/2567860/How-to-help-the-Washington-wildfire-victims Link to fire news: http://q13fox.com/2014/07/18/theres-a-firestorm-in-washington-right-now-80-homes-destroyed-as-wildfire-grows-to-265-square-miles/#axzz3845AEJK3
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