Night Lights

7I9A0528 7I9A0534 7I9A0631It’s such an insane juxtaposition…but sometimes there is still beauty in the most terrible things.

Comments

  1. Stay safe, the both of you. The all of you.

  2. Your photos are always so appreciated. An eerie beauty – its amazing how that starry sky can pierce the smokiness. One of my dear friend’s sons is a Paramedic on the wildfire lines in your area. I wonder if he’s there with you . . . Please be safe.

  3. Strength and safety for those who work on this. And healing.

  4. Thinking of you all.
    So worried about everyone’s safety,such a bad fire season this year:(

  5. It’s so true…the impermanence of all things…terrible beauty….these are gorgeous, but I am still holding you really tight in my heart right now…..

  6. Have been thinking about you all day — have two firefighter sons. We’re getting lots of smoke from Washington, Oregon, Idaho here in western WY and now have a local forest fire just up our creek…so scary – can’t imagine what it’s like for you.

    • It’s pretty busy here but living on the jump base feels really safe…it’s well fortified with a big defendable zone: two highways, a river an airstrip and very large, irrigated lawns surround it. 🙂 Hope your local fire gets put out quick.

      • I guess living on base with firefighters IS the best place to be right now. Our fire is on reservation land in a roadless area — not a high priority — so they are just watching it — has grown to around 500 acres and luckily we’ve not had too much wind. Seeing the smoke plume from the highway is a bit daunting but it’s probably 15 or more miles away…stay safe.

  7. Sending prayers and blessings and asking angels to watch over all.

  8. We are headed to our cabin in northern Idaho next week. For the very first time I am dreading it. Please stay safe

  9. Stay safe Jillain, sending love and light to you and all your fire fighting family. I am touched by the amazing photos you take and the sentiments that are written from your heart. We hope they all make it safely home. Our firefighters here in BC are similarly stretched and weary..unimaginable what they endure to keep us all safe.
    hugs,
    Dagmar

  10. Just a note to say hope Robbie makes it back safely and he can rest.
    Ox

  11. in ’97, my cabin burned. burned to the ground. all my belongings.
    it was so very strange and other-worldly to run up the hill alongside the firefighters, standing there next to them….we watched my cabin burn because there was no saving it.
    fire is a strong and unpredictable force of nature.

    i am holding you and robert and all those out there fighting this fire close in my heart….

    xx

  12. Are those actually stars??

  13. Dawn Dennison says

    Keeping all of you West of us in my heart. Sending prayers,courage and strength by the bucketful.

  14. So many prayers for safety, for your Rob and all the others in harm’s way. Last night here in Spokane the moon appeared, no stars due to the haze of all those fires.

  15. safety & bravery to you all. there is beauty in even the most terrible of things.

  16. Praying for you all!!

  17. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Be safe.

  18. You, the firefighters, and their families are in my thoughts and prayers. Be safe.

  19. Jillian, I am sending so much love from here in Olympia, Washington… My heart aches for the 3 that perished, and the young boy in critical at Harborview. I have cried such pain… My heart also aches for the animals. I pray that they can run to safety and find water, non burning land, safety. The loss of life already, the loss of homes. The courage of all the brave smoke jumpers, fire fighters, I ache for the land. I ache for my home state of Washington. I just feel so much pain for the land. So many of us here in Washington are so thankful for our fire families. I wish I was there to provide food, encouragement, hope. Please know my love goes to the eastern Washington. You stay safe there… my prayers are with Rob and all the courageous men and women that are fighting the good fight for my beloved Washington 🙁

    • Lindy, appreciate you, so much. It’s always good to remember that forests need to burn. It’s natural and an important part of forest health and regeneration. But I know what you mean, sometimes it’s too much to lose the trees, animals and people…all at once. Love having you here. XX

  20. Sending prayers for safty and strength. I have a lot of family down on the Coville reserve, many of them have been evacuated and we are so worried, and so proud of the fire fighters! I’m just north east of you in the Kootenays and the smoke is thick. Come on rain, we need you!

    • They’re working so hard. I’m proud of them, too. Every single day. Thanks for checking in! The weather has cooled, but some rain would be very nice, to boot. Better do your rain dance! 🙂 XX

  21. Eileen Weigand says

    I’m so sorry this is happening. I’ve only experienced the wake of forest fires when I lived in Boone, NC and the forests were on fire around us. From peaks you could smell fire in the air and sometimes the air was just thick with the smokes of these neighboring fires. After being outside you would smell like woodsmoke for hours. Thinking of you and yours and the brave firefighters you know and care about. <3

    • It’s pretty smoky here. I’m starting to miss the sky — day and night — and I feel a bit like I have a permanent head cold. C’est la vie! Thanks for being here, E. X

  22. Jillian,
    The winds brought all the smoke to ground level where we are yesterday, and I had to check in. I have been thinking of you and yours a lot over this long, dry, summer…whenever there’s been smoke in the air. Keeping each and every one of you in our thoughts and prayers and sending love and deep gratitude. Be well and be safe.
    xxx

  23. Hi Jillian,
    Good news from us here in BC..we are sending 2 teams tomorrow to help out your boys at the Stickpin fire…pray all of your gang stay safe.
    Hugs,
    Xo
    Dagmar

  24. I’ll think good thoughts…strength of will and flexibility of mind to the smokejumpers…

  25. You and your firefighter family have been on my mind for days and then yesterday my library filled up with smoke every time the doors opened. That Kettle Complex fire is a monster. And the winds! It’s windy there, blowing SE mixing with our relentless winds. I can’t even imagine what it must be like for you, Jillian.
    I hope it ends soon. I hope it can mend soon, for those who’ve been evacuated, and those who are at a loss.
    Bless you and yours. Bless the wildlife…and everything.
    I’m so sorry.

    • The valley is slowly coming to life again…it was a ghost town for days and days…which was weird since downtown Winthrop is usually insane with tourists. It’s nice to see folks trickling back in, sitting out on the boardwalk with coffees…open signs facing out towards the streets again. It’s nice.

      X

  26. Kris in WA says

    Still praying for all! I am set back by the power of all these wildfires! Toooo many at once! Your photos are amazing, Jillian! Thank you for sharing! As I understand, the fires are so large, that they will continue to burn until the rain/snow season hits…unless something changes weatherwise. Uggh!!! I have two family members who have property/live over among the fires. One believes the fire went thru their property, but can’t get any info, as roads closed into the area, and the other is standing by for notice to evacuate. What a nerve-wracking situation. XX Kris in Western WA

    • I know. That’s the thing. Fires are natural and need to happen but it feels like ALL of Washington is on fire right now! It’s just too much! It’s too much for all of us.

      Thanks for those prayers. They are appreciated. X

  27. Just wanted to say I’m thinking about you. Hoping God to grant those boys the knowledge and skill to put those fires out and to be safe. I’ve smelled the forest ablaze several times in my life and it always makes me put my priorities straight. Thanks for letting your hubby keep others safe. It takes a special person to be a wife of a man with a dangerous job. Keep safe. Your photos are beautiful. Bless you during this time.

    • I tell Robbie, every time he heads out, to make good choices and take care of his brothers. 🙂 Trading a tree for a human life isn’t a fair trade. I remind him of that all the time.

      Thanks for saying that nice thing about being a wife of a man with a dangerous job. It’s true.

      Lovelove.
      J

  28. Mike in CO says

    I’ve appreciated your blog as a great place to visit and dream for a couple of months now. The internet can be a heartless place most of the time, but after reading your entries and seeing your pictures, I was actually scared for you both when I heard how bad the fires were in WA and ID. I hope you both remain safe.