Who would ever have believed that up here in the Pacific Northwest we’d be DELIGHTED at the prospect of getting some rain.

 

Rain has always been such a commonplace occurrence here that the mere thought of not getting enough was–well, simply never thought of!

 

Now the landscape is tinder dry, we’re on water rations in the most populated areas (Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia), and it feels like half of the state has gone (or will go) up in flames before the snow flies in November (or whenever).

 

To make matters worse, the federal government’s financial allotment to fight fires is proving inadequate unless all of the fires get suppressed TOMORROW and no more start. (Good luck with that!)

 

This is simply unprecedented. So was last year.  Will next year out-do this year, as this year outdid 2014?  I hope not!

 

This weekend we’re supposed to get measurable rain on the coast and throughout western Washington and some rain (one half to one inch) atop the ridges of the Cascade range–which is the range just to the west of the biggest fire right now (the Okanogan Complex fire).  There is hope that enough rain will make it over the Cascades and onto the fires that are burning over on the east side of the state.

 

But with rain can come lightning, and the threat of more fires caused by it.  So everybody is crossing fingers, saying prayers, lighting candles, and holding all good thoughts that this is just the beginning of one super long rainy season.  We’ve been too dry for too long. It’s dicey everywhere on both sides of the Cascades.

 

Sadly, Oregon, California and British Columbia are in the same situation.