As we headed into California, we knew that we getting close to the wildfires that have plagued the West Coast for the past weeks, but we hadn’t realized that they would be close enough for us to see and smell. In San Rafael, we stayed fairly close to home, heading to the coastal towns to find some cooler weather than the unseasonably hot 100+ degrees they were experiencing. Sometimes we could see the smoke billowing from hills several miles away. Every trip was made with awareness as to where the fires were now and to the air quality. Smoke came and went…and we got on with our lives.

That said, I was rather stunned to learn that our family that was hosting us were fully prepared to evacuate if necessary. Their computers, mementos, photos were all within instant reach to throw into their cars. It made me think of the times I’ve stood in the middle of battlefields and thought about what it would feel like to know there was an enemy just over the hill that wanted to destroy everything and everyone on the other side. That really makes you establish your priorities as you consider your response.

So what is it like to travel through wildfire country?

1) You’re constantly referencing websites and apps that give you (you hope) the latest on where the fires are burning, so you can avoid the roads.

2) Campgrounds may be filled with evacuees. In San Rafael, we saw one tent city in a park with people who’d had to leave their homes.

3) The skies tell a story of their own, with the winds bringing in smoke that changes the color of the skies.

One of our more harrowing moments was in southern Oregon, where a small billowing white cloud became a large billowing white cloud before our eyes, with periodic moments of darkness close to the earth that I could envision being red.

I will admit that I’m not used to the discomfort of being surrounded by real or potential wildfires, or with the first thought of the day being “where is it burning now?” Yet everyone was getting on with their lives and none of our plans were defeated by the fires, so I’m grateful for that. Where we live now in Virginia, we have the threat of earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, and even some fires. So I wonder why I’m more comfortable there than here?