Fintry Fires

I just heard the news last night that Fintry is being evacuated along with a few smaller communities like Parker Cove. (Aren't you glad you didn't buy a house there, Sharon?) The Fintry fire is burning out of control and has consumed over 4000 hectares so far. Fintry is fairly close to Vernon, so the residents of that area are being relocated here. As I arrived at my first music lesson this morning, the mother of the child I teach was rushing out the door to assist with the evacuation effort. She has Emergency Social Services training and was responding to the call that all ESS personal head to Fintry to help. When I went to my next lesson, the mother there was waiting for a call from a friend in Fintry so she could help move this friend's large animals down to water and bring the smaller animals back to her little farm. As I was heading to my final lesson today, the rain (hallelujah) started to fall and the winds (boo, hiss) began to pick up. Now the whole area is thick with smoke and smells heavily of camp fire. I live in a valley and am surrounded by mountains on all sides, but right now the mountains are completely obliterated from view. Ash has been falling for the past few days. If it weren't so hot, and if it were December instead of July, you might think the ash fall was snow flurries instead.