Wildfire Worries

Over the last month or so, wildfires have been raging in the West (mostly California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, & Montana. I've been following the local news at our relocation destination in Kalispell for a while now and I keep seeing warnings about unhealthy air quality in Flathead Valley. This does give me some cause for concern.

Wildfire at Glacier National Park

Who knows when this drought will end or if we're seeing something more akin to what might be the new norm due to climate change. These concerns are toiling away in the back of my mind and I wonder if I want to invest in property that could easily be wiped out by raging fires in the near future. Also, one of the reasons I'm moving is to experience the clean mountain air... which is currently choked with smoke.

Smoke blotting the Sun, credit: Emily Graves Johnson Charlo

I hope the landscape will eventually heal, but with global warming, I have to give consideration to the idea that perhaps there isn't likely going to be a reprieve anytime soon. Regardless, we need to sell the house before we can move anywhere.

REFERENCES

• Wildfires Wreak Havoc in Drought-Choked Western States - ABC News
• Unhealthy Air from Wildfire Smoke Spreads Throughout Montana - NBC Montana