As far as my anxieties go, the California drought has Ukraine beat

[usonian]

2. There's actually something you can do about this.

When I bought my home in the Sierra Foothills, my very first visitor was CalFire on an inspection tour. (I mean, the next day!)

I had to clean up a lot of brush in my defensible zone. After a nasty bought with poison oak, I hired a crew to finish the job

Since then, I've been clearing more brush (carefully). Chainsaw at the ready. I may do some more today. Mainly, clearing as much as I can under six feet (or 15% of a small tree) and making firebreaks.

https://www.readyforwildfire.org/
CalFire advice.

I am grateful to the original owner for putting my power line from the street underground. Two or three times, a dead tree has fallen over it (harmlessly) and the rest of one old tree is ready to do it again.

Crews are in the area cutting down trees adjacent to power lines. I don't mind the noise. (That giant chipper makes a racket!)

When silent, I can hear a constant buzzing of bees around manzanitas, which are blooming en-masse. And there are hundreds here. So beautiful.

Strangely enough, the predominant chipper here is made by Vermeer. My Dad was an artist and this messes with my mind.


CalFire does amazing work to protect homes.
Definite heroes.
Wildfire is a constant threat in the foothills.
Stay safe.