The smoke has settled across our valleys here in Castlegar. Exactly where the air pollution originates is a hard question to answer: there are wildfires in nearly every direction within a few hundred kilometres. But the outcome is obvious.
I say “valleys” in the plural because two of them converge here: the Kootenay and Columbia River valleys. We can’t see the mountains from our living room window as we normally can. It looks like fog until you step outside and smell the distinct odour reminiscent of campfire in the air. My eyes sting and my sinuses are irritated so I stay inside for the most part. Our air purifier is doing the hard labour of keeping the indoors air reasonably clean.
Arguably the most disturbing visual reminder of the smoke after the absence of our mountains is the way the sun looks. Filtered through the smoke it casts a yellow-brown light and glares down angrily from the sky. It is decidedly unnatural in appearance, and distinctly disturbing to observe. Some might call it beautiful- I call it unnerving.
We have had no rain since mid-July and there is no precipitation in our forecast looking forward for at least two weeks. The wind patterns could change and the high pressure system holding the smoke in our valleys could dissipate, but the current situation doesn’t show any obvious signs of getting better. All I can really do, I suppose, is be thankful that there are no immediate nearby fires in the Castlegar area.
I don’t think there is anyone or anything to blame about this. Climate change has definitely made this kind of smoke and fire filled season more common in recent years as the Kootenay region where I live receives less and less rain. But we are all responsible for the climate, and the actions or inactions of a few right now won’t really have a major impact in the short term. However, we clearly have to do better in the future if we want to leave a viable world for future generations.
For now I just stay indoors and wonder at the strange sun peering down on me, its brown and hazy visage obscured by layers of forest fire smoke.
