The Fire This Time


I spent the first part of my trip in northern California. During this time, I received several anxious phone calls and texts from family in Illinois, worrying about my safety and the fires. It was when I was in Santa Barbara, visiting the Mission that I got close enough to see the signs of the fire. 


This was the Thomas fire, which ultimately became the largest wildfire in modern California history. The fire started near Thomas Aquinas College; this is where it got its name.


At the Santa Barbara Mission gift shop, I asked the woman if she thought the fires would threaten Santa Barbara. The fire was so close. She shrugged her shoulders stoically and said, "We're at the mercy of the winds."


Dedicated firefighters were able to finally contain the fire. In the past several years, they have gotten more and more experience fighting these huge fires, which are linked to climate change. Even before the Thomas fire,  2017 was California's most destructive year of wildfires.


The ocean is affected, too.

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