As a kid, on bitter winter mornings, when we clustered around the woodstove elbowing each other, “Mom!”-ing and “Not fair!”-ing, we would hush and huddle during the morning news report of school closures. “All Miami County schools are closed due to inclement road conditions” would elicit a round of whoops and shrieks, while “Maconaquah school district schools are in session” would result in an altogether whinier round of “not fairs.” Snow days were the stuff of legends.
After living twenty odd years in North Central California, I’ve only seen a hint of snow dusting the hills once or twice in Berkeley or San Francisco. I assumed my children would never experience the valor of endeavoring through a snow day-worthy blizzard, the grandeur of returning home from having valiantly defended your snow fort (after first constructing it), and the relaxing bliss of hot chocolate in a balmy house as your clothes drip dry by the woodstove.
What I never expected was for my kids to cry out when schools were closed for smoke days. (Admittedly, they were crying in part because of the smoke, and in part because not going to school spared their eyes and their lungs.)
The extent of the tragedy from a fire that has made air dangerous enough to close schools for miles and miles is inconceivable. The number of lives lost and the breadth of the damage of the Camp Fire will continue to be tallied well into the next month maybe the next year. As my children spend another day creatively constructing things to do indoors (and then shredding them in fits), we will be thankful for more than a school free day, but that we have a home to shelter in.
If you would like to support the victims of the Camp Fire, here are possible ways.