The lakes are being emptied

The nearby Oliver Fire, now approaching a week old, is still going full steam ahead. It has grown despite the efforts of over 1,200 fire fighters, 141 fire trucks, 29 ground crews, 8 water-dropping planes, 5 helicopters, 15 bulldozers, 11 water trucks, and $3.37 million. Shown here is a Sikorsky Sky Crane helicopter outfitted with a water tank for fire fighting. Huge barely describes this monster. They are flying over the house now in search of water to dump on the fire. Apparently they have drained all the nearby ponds and lakes and are expanding their search area. I suppose they could dip their straw down one of our well casings, but that would take some superb piloting skill and a 1,000-foot (300 meter) straw. They can carry 2,000 gallons (7,570 liters) at a time not including the fish and frogs. I guess the firefighters can rush in after a water drop and get lunch if they don’t mind a little charcoal and ash on the frog legs and fish fillets.

I hope they don’t spot my three-tier fish fountain. The goldfish are getting almost big enough to eat, and I don’t want a crop failure just to stop a stupid old wildfire.