Burned Trees

This is what much of our area looks like at present. All the trees in the photo are dead and many have been cut down, though now, several weeks after the fire, the grass is already starting to grow again. The Gray Fire burned 10,000 acres (over 4000 hectares) and destroyed 200 homes. Many of the homes are already being rebuilt, but the trees, thousands of them, will not soon grow back, and our area will not be the same in our lifetimes. Driving through the area is rather depressing. Though the firefighters are gone, there is still a lot of activity. The utility company is replacing many power poles that were destroyed or damaged and many trees are being cut down, especially those that are near roads. Thousands more trees are dead or dying from the fire, and if they are not cut down will fall in the next few years, making a further fire hazard, This photo is typical of what we see when we drive the roads near our home.