Just before going to bed I took a quick look at CNN news.
I was horrified by the announcement that 19 firefighters were lost fighting a wildfire in Arizona.
I find it hard to sleep tonight, thinking about what pain the families of these men and probably a few women are experiencing tonight.
Every death of this kind is horrible. Nineteen at one time is unthinkable.
One of the sad things about it is knowing when it comes down to "why" it is really all about property and stuff.
We think they fight fire to save the forest or the land. Fire is a natural event. The forest will recover. It will take years, perhaps generations, but in earth time the land will heal and life will return.
In truth, fighting wildfires is to save manmade structures, people's things, and preserve present day property values. Short term reasons. We cannot wait for nature to heal the land.
Some will say it was god's will and they will gather in churches all over the country to cry and sing. Then they will go home and be glad their houses didn't burn down, and their stuff is safe.
I live in a place that could burn down in a wildfire. To me these men were heroes, and my heart goes out to their loved ones and their community.
Thats all.
Craig and Merikay at Avenue of the Giants, California
No-one should blame God for these tragic events. Bad stuff is part of life but that's also a cop out by being fatalistic. We people play a risky game in some places when we decide to live in places at risk from natural events. I guess we always hope noting will happen in our chosen place.
ReplyDeleteIt's terrible for the community the men came from. And they will be remembered as skilled, brave men who always went out knowing their own lives could be in danger.
Hope you get some sleep in spite of our sadness.
Blessings
I agree, this was a very tragic event and my heart breaks for those poor men and women and what they must have suffered.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand they were part of an elite fire team and were sent into the highest risk areas. I guess they knew the risk they were taking and accepted it. RIP
how very sad indeed...
ReplyDeleteVery sad indeed. There have been many natural disasters that have left people homeless at best, dead at worst - we live in places that are prone. But what is the answer? Should we leave these pockets of peril to Mother Nature?
ReplyDeleteWe've had some flooding in Canada recently and some of these areas have been flooding periodically for as long as time remembers. Why do we rebuild in the same places over and over?
Stubborn I guess!
A very sad day in the USA:(
ReplyDeleteit is very sad for the families left behind after this tragic event. May they rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteHaving been a firefighter myself, as you know, I found the news hard to hear too. I don't know the circumstances of their deaths, but I do know what I was trained on: we saved lives first, then property, then environmental resources.
ReplyDeleteWithout wanting to talk about something I am not fully knowledgeable on, if those guys were in the front of that fire trying to buy time for people to get out of the way, I understand. If, however, they were there for other reasons, then I question the judgement that put them there. I have no authority, and my question isn't useful or helpful, but it stands.
You shouldn't put people in front of a big, wind driven fire unless they are trying to save lives, and even that may not be possible in some cases. Simple as that.
I honor their sacrifice, but I hope events like it never happen again.
I too hope this never happens again...19 men...most of them just kids really...is too high a price to pay for anything. They should never have been in there. Trying not to say much out of respect for those that are gone...Arizona is in deep mourning this week..
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