fire on the mountain

One of the fires in California has been burning on the local mountains since Monday.


The first few days it burned inland, but today the wind blew the smoke and fire toward the coast.


It was already slightly overcast (and humid, which is good to put out the fires)



The added smoke made the day especially gloomy.

I did not use any filter on this picture.




I was also depressed because the air conditioning window unit at home, also went out last night.

Between me and Dad, we can't lift an air conditioner so we have to wait a few days until the store delivers a new one...




Meanwhile, at work, the office still doesn't have A/C

(but the school and church and every other building at least does)



For no reason, the power went off shortly after I arrived for my shift.

(Nobody hit a pole / or Edison didn't shut it off, which happens regularly)

While we waited for the electrician to solve the problem, the staff wandered about the grounds.

We had no phones or internet, and especially no fans.




I took the picture of the church, and a picture of the sun.

It was apocalyptic, which fit my mood.




I had a short shift at work, so afterward, I went to the beach.

I like to take pictures of the sunset when the clouds are interesting, and today was such a day.




Randomly, there was a large group of senior citizens playing the ukelele.

Last week's surfing competition was over, and the beach was not overly crowded.

The sun appeared to set right on top of the Palos Verdes peninsula across the Long Beach bay.

Whenever there is a fire, the sun has this very intense fluorescent red color.




Looking back toward Santiago peak, where the fire was, it was just a mass of smoke.

I did not stay long enough to walk to the end of the pier. 

So I didn't have to pay the $2 hour at the parking garage.

Yay!



As night fell, the wind briefly blew the flames up to the crestline.

The peak is about 20 miles away.

Although there are often fires in the canyons, I can't remember actually being able to see it from home.


This is looking due east and the fire is on the left side of the "saddle back" edge of the hill.



Fires usually die down during the night, and the weather is favorable to put out the fire soon...