No Brimstone Yet

But plenty of smoke, ash, and fire.

The nearest fire, thank God, is a good 40 miles away. But we've got plenty of smoke and a constant light "snowfall" of ash. As this piece in the Times explains "Long Beach sits at the neck of a wind 'funnel' that, during strong Santa Ana conditions, carries smoke and ash to the coast from fires in distant mountain and desert areas. Since the wildfires ignited Sunday, the city has suffered some of the region's worst levels of airborne particulates."

You can get a look at our yellow atmosphere here or here.

This is decidedly unpleasant. But if you have time for a prayer, one for those who no longer have homes wouldn't go amiss. The networks seem to have focussed on the rich and the celebrities in Malibu. But there many more in any economic category you care to name.

Da nobis, quæsumus, Domine, pluviam salutarem. . . .