Bog fire

I don't know if this is making news outside of BC, but Burns Bog, the largest urban wetland of its kind, is on fire. We saw some smoke Sunday afternoon and now on Tuesday evening, my eyes are burning, the ash is falling, the air is hazy and the smell of smoke is thick. Every once in a while it brings up good feelings; it makes me remember campfires and quiet evenings in the woods. I used to like unpacking from a camping trip, opening a knapsack and getting a fresh olfactory reminder of the weekend. Even after a wash or two, there was always that one sweater or pair of socks that retained a little of that pungency.

Every once in a while, but that's it. The air here, 20 miles from the bog, is heavy and stinging. Brett has a bit of a cold and now I'm afraid to leave his window open. I worry that the clothes I packed this afternoon will still smell when we unpack in a week or so. Will it make me check for updates, going online to the Vancouver news outlets if I don't hear anything on the Alberta news? Will it make me more homesick for the coast? It's a dramatic way to leave, that's for sure.