Ashes, ashes, they all fall down...

[Cheval]

A lot of "wetlands" and forests.
Most folks up North call the wetlands - marshes or swamps. Although most are just damp grounds or cypress tree swamp.
(Except the Everglades)

[Menolly]

I can't wait till I get the Little Lebowski teeshirt.

You must post a pic once ypu do.

Good to know it's not some ravaging end of the world thing. 'Cause thats how it sounds. So are you guys in danger from the flames? Or just the ash/smoke?

:::not sure you saw I edited the above post when you posted:::

The nearest fire to me is about seven miles away. We have to watch the direction of the winds, and pray our firefighters are up to containing the blaze.

Mandatory evacuations are in effect about 50 miles north of me.

[balon!]

I did not, well then, good vibes to you and yours. I hope it doesn't get any worse.

[Menolly]

Thankee sai...

[Cheval]

Last count: over 220 wildfires and over 180,000 acres scorched!

(edit)

That was 80,000 acres.
Not 180,000.

[balon!]

Last count: over 220 wildfires and over 180,000 acres scorched!

(edit)

That was 80,000 acres.
Not 180,000.

Whoo. Okay. That eases my mind just a LITTLE!

[Menolly]

Woo-HOOO!!!

I hear thunder!!!

Please G-ds. Let there be little lightening and wind associated with said storm, but tons of rain over the fires...

[Menolly]

The rains seems to have helped, at least for the big fire closest to me.

This morning the news is that it is back down to 15,000 acres, and is 85% contained. The firefighters are hoping to get the containment line to 40' behind the firebreaks, as we have a severe wind advisory in affect later this afternoon.

[Cheval]

From today's "Tampa Bay Times" magazine:

It's a 'critical day' in fight against wildfire
tampabay.com

Even as the Bugaboo Fire churned and burned acres and acres of wildlands near the Georgia border, the news was good Sunday.
No thundershowers, which meant no lightning or wind gusts. No drop of humidity. Even the on-again, off-again closures of Interstate 75 and 10 didn't lead to more gridlock.
Emergency officials estimated the blaze is 30 percent contained.
So why is everyone worried?
Because wind speeds are expected to pick up, from a calm 5 mph breeze this weekend to 15- to 25-mph gusts.
That could make it too dangerous for firefighters to continue building fire lines to contain the blaze that has consumed 102,000 acres and sent smoke as far as the Tampa Bay area.
It is by far the largest and most worrisome of the 218 fires that have burned 190,000 acres statewide.
"The weather is going to test some of our lines," said Florida Division of Forestry incindent commander Sonny Greene. "(Today) is going to be a critical day for us."

These numbers are reaching an all-time record of burned woodlands in the state of Florida.
My edited number from last week is now realistic for this week.
Menolly, I sure hope that you're OK since you are closer than I am.
(Tampa is about 25 miles or so from one of the lesser fires. The bigger and worst fires are more towards Centeral Florida and Northern Florida.))

[balon!]

This is crazy.

Stay safe guys.

[Cheval]

Mother Nature has a strange sense of humor...

Wildfires in Florida and California -
Floods in Missouri.

If only the floodwaters could reach where it is needed.

[Menolly]

The one that's abut 7 miles away has receded, but the Bugaboo Fire's south side is only about 50 miles away.

Thanks for the concern, guys. We are all hoping the winds don't pick up too much.