We're safe from the fire, but the smoke has made outside look like another planet. I've sadly seen this before. It's oddly beautiful, in it's way. And there's really nothing else quite *like* it. It's not like a dawn or sunset, but there's an orange hue to everything.

It happens when you're just far enough from the fires that you can't quite *see* that it's all smoke. But the smoke covers the sky, turning it into a solid-ish dirty cloud sky. No visible clouds, but not sky, or like a dingy dirty gray sky.

And the smoke in the air ...

isn't thick enough for you to go 'oh shit, smoke' but creates almost the lightest of fogs, but there's certainly no moisture in the air.

And the air. Well, as you can imagine, the air quality is what one would call 'shit'. Not just due to smoke, but also pollution, because...

the region has basins around the foothill mountains. Dips and valleys that create little bowls. These bowls during certain times of year ESPECIALLY trap pollution (wind can shift it, but it takes high wind. Rain is the best).

Summer pollution sucks. It's better than usual bc

the pandemic has prevented a lot of driving...but we've opened and closed, so ~ it's still pretty meh.

Meaning the smoke combined with smog makes it merry hell for anyone with respiratory issues. For most that's just 'stay inside, and don't fuck about' and it's fine.

UNFORTUNATELY

we're also in a killer heat wave, and I'm not using that term hyperbolically.

I am quite privileged to have air conditioning, but in the region where I live it's standard now even in the crappiest of crap places because

the heat will literally kill you

But, not everyone lives in a newer place. Many places built before like 1980 didn't have central air conditioning or any air conditioning to speak of.

My apartment has one shit wall unit jammed into the living room wall, as an afterthought years later.

AND THEN BEYOND THAT

not everyone can AFFORD to turn on their air conditioning.

Yesterday pretty much everyone here in the complex did that I could see. The people across the alley from me, my mirror apartment as it were? They NEVER do. Yesterday was a fucking first.

How do they live?

They use fans in front and back to move air through their apartment.

It's not as comfortable as air conditioning. At all.

AT. ALL.

But, as long as it cools down at night?

You can survive it. I did for a couple of years many moons ago. I mean, it fucking sucks. But you won't die.

Unless it doesn't cool down at night and it hits 120F

Then, as the kids would say, you're in for a bad time.

There's one cooling center that serves about a 20 square mile radius. I checked. Cities with lower income levels?

None.

I checked.

Those very cities likely most in fucking need. How does Pomona California NOT HAVE A COOLING CENTER

I don't know folks. But per the map nope.

MEANWHILE

those relying on fans?

Yeah. That fire.

And even some who have air conditioning, have to make really hard choices about running it because it's goddamned expensive.

I run mine a lot.

My electric last month, for a 2 bedroom apartment, was over $400

So some people are going to have to figure out how uncomfortable they can tolerate ~ or what else can be cut. Especially those out of work with nothing coming in.

And those who CAN get to a cooling center, it's noon to six pm at a library.

People who'd normally go to a mall?

Can't.

Theater?

Can't

All the poverty dodges to get heat relief?

Gone.

The reason there's just one cooling center?

Because fuck the homeless. That's who it's actually meant for, unhoused people. People who are at the lowest rung of society who can't even afford a movie ticket, or who'd be rousted out of a mall.

So fuck them, there's one library and they can use it from noon to six

And why in the middle of one of the worst heat waves on record are we now dealing with a fucking fire to boot?

Some assholes doing some stupid 'gender reveal' stunt for their fetus.

https://twitter.com/i/events/1302839833409105920?s=20

I am not in, nor very near, an evacuation zone. Again, I'm safe. If that were to change, my Dad would insist on a quarantine break and we'd all go stay there...but that won't happen.

Just for the worrywarts. I'm okay.

A lot of people are not. But we are okay.

PS: Still on hiatus just wanted to rant and update people.

Also want to say, people who start fires doing ANYTHING criminal (and using explosive devices during heat waves is criminal six ways from Sunday where we live) ...

are financially responsible for the costs.

This shit SEEMS like a good idea, but only when you're hotheaded mad about *waves arms towards the flames*

In reality? The costs are astronomical to an individual, or two such as it were. All it does is financially beggar them to the point they can't own things in the future.

They don't starve. But like, they can't own a home (and yeah many of us are making a handjob motion to that) and what they make is garnered forever, blah blah blah

It's punitive beyond reason, especially when we consider the harm millionaires and billionaires have done

and corporations have done, and we're like 'Nah you don't even have to pay it back, because that would hobble you or some bullshit'

What they did was fucking stupid, and might even cost someone their life. It's not a small thing.

But it was fucking stupid, not malicious.

Just as being obsessed about your kid's gender before they even have a chance to inform you, is harmful, but not necessarily done maliciously.

But oh how fucking stupid. And, it's not even the first time this has happened. People doign this have started fires before.