I should be at my office working on my novel, but instead I’m breakfasting at my favorite local diner, writing this entry. The smoke from the fire burning in the Angeles National Forest has been brought to my area. It has dropped down to street level, obscuring the road slightly. The ash falls softly, like an evil snow that brings destruction. The air is oppressive, even for my smoker’s lungs.

I took the photo above yesterday, saying that fires make for interesting photographs, but today I’m reminded of the horror that it brings as well. I remember when the fire was dangerously close to us, only a few years back. Roads were closed off to my work and I literally saw patches of fire on the hills.

As scary as it sounds, I always remind myself that any place one lives will have a risk of natural disaster. There are tornados and hurricanes and earthquakes. No place is safe from things like this.

I hope that everyone in this area or anyone currently experiencing some sort of crazy natural occurrence stays safe. Hopefully it’ll be over soon.