Unless you have been living under a rock, you will know that a lot of California is on fire right now. It is awful! One of the fires, up near the Bay Area, is the largest fire California’s history.

Below is an image I took in Yosemite in October 2016. The smoke you see in the center of the picture is from control burns that the National Park Service set on the valley floor. This is a preventative measure to remove dead debris and to help protect life, structures, and other resources. The burns are done on a regular basis to help keep the ecosystem of the area in balance.

You’ll also notice that there are a lot of colorful trees in the valley. Unfortunately the brownish-red trees are dying trees due to the bark beetle infestation. That can make conditions for a large fire very possible…but so far no fires have swept through the valley. Let us pray it stays that way!

Have a great week everyone!

PS: To all the first responders and fire fighters – THANK YOU!!!