There are many fires burning in the Pacific NW this year. It seems to me like more than in previous years. The states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho have a lot of forest land. We grow trees and brush really well. We have and will continue to have wildfires created by nature or humans. There is no way around this. Nature does what it wants without a human touch. Humans will continue to make mistakes creating a mess for others.
My only son works for Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). He is a forest engineer. He is fighting wildfires today and has been out in the fires off and on for the past couple of months. He has had very little rest as the fires just continue to increase as we just get into the really dry season of our area. DNR has all of their manpower out fighting fires. They have called in more resources from international firefighters to volunteers. They need even more help!
Today as the smoke fills the Oregon Valley that I live in I think about my son out there on the front-line of the fire he is working on in Washington. Last night on the phone we joked about the soot in his lungs he was coughing up. It really is no joke. He is there, trying to stop a fire from burning the forest and reaching homes. There are over 5,000 firefighters working in Washington, over 3,000 in Oregon and there are thousands more fighting fires in Idaho, Montana, California and Alaska. Estimates are 19,000 right now fighting fires. It's not enough!
There are thousands of us mother's praying for the safety of our sons. There are a some who are mourning their loss. This breaks my heart and my prayers of comfort are around their shoulders.
My son's wife and 2 children are holding down the home-front. They are trying to be brave. They know how dangerous firefighting is. All of us know this.
I have a very firm belief in God Our Creator. I know in my spirit and my soul that the Hand of The Father is upon our lives from conception till last breath. My hope and trust is in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Many others do not believe like me. Where to they pull strength and hope from? How do they sleep at night knowing their sons are out there on the front lines of these burning infernos? My prayers go out to all who have sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, relatives and friends out there, unselfishly fighting a forest fire.
We all remember the attacks on 9/11 and how the nation pulled together to make sure the families of the fallen, whether they were firefighters, police, people in the buildings, armed forces, and all involved in and with the attacks, were taken care of and helped through the horrendous ordeal and aftermath.
In my mind this same kind of thing is happening now in the West Coast states. We are under attack! All in the nation should be pulling together to make sure everything possible is being done to protect us and help us. Everyone should be sending a donation through the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and any other viable charitable organization that is helping wildfire assistance. Everyone who is able, who has an expertise that can assist, should be volunteering.
Homes have been burned, lives have been lost, property has been devastated. Please don't just sit there, do something. Please help us! Please help my son! Please don't leave us here to burn! We came to help you when the hurricanes hit. We came to help you when the tornadoes devastated your city. We came to help you when your city was in a riot. We came and helped you when a gunman killed your children.
We need you to help us now.
