Diane Putnam's photos

Tanker 61 Memorial "Because of their interest in illustrating aerial firefighting to the visitors at the base, especially the children, this observation tower is dedicated to the memory of Charles "Chick" Sheridan and Leonard Martin. Their T-61 crashed on October 1, 1992 while flying on the Cleveland Fire, Eldorado National Forest."

An old tanker on display at the Tanker 61 Wildfire Learning Center. See the memorial sign explaining the purpose of this center. open to the public. The atmosphere is appropriately smoky. Today, Sept. 3, there was one of a few blue skies this summer. It lasted several hours before we were smoked in again!

I no longer try to keep up on the news about new fires and have given up on the old, big ones. I just try to stay inside as much as possible.

Not the official name of it. The county jail is behind where I am standing. (I was in there many times in my former career. Seriously!)

Someone lives in the tent under the tree, or did live there. Why would someone collect all this stuff (and there is even more on the right, not shown) and spread it all over this concrete pad? My impression is that this is a very disorganized, mentally ill person, not an ordinary homeless hoarder. Items were placed far apart. There were things like tables, a suitcase, buckets, ice chests, folding chair, regular chair, backpack, pieces of plywood, miscellaneous flotsam and what looked like a pile of rags. Nothing looked useable. I stood here for a while, but didn't see anyone stirring. This is an unusual scene so close to residential areas. There is even a school a few hundred yards to the right.

That's what the sign on the building said. These must be charter planes.

This old clunker appeals to me! It appears to be a retired gasoline, oil or diesel delivery truck for airport equipment.

The dim atmosphere is smoke from several forest fires in the region.

Smokey atmosphere!

Our western heat waves have killed millions, some sources say billions, of mussels and clams on the Pacific coast of Canada and the US Northwest. More info: Seattle Times tinyurl.com/kd8jtdpa In another climate-related event, over 840 manatees have died of starvation in Florida in 2021, a record number. It is believed that a die-off of seven species of seagrass is being caused by climate change, thus depriving the manatee of their food source. tinyurl.com/436yj7wd