asmusa

The best portion of a good man’s life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.

—William Wordsworth

The month of October and natural disasters are synonymous, at least in the Bay Area. Historically, many have occurred during this month, from the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 to the East Bay fires of 1991, and now, the worst wildfire in recorded history. At the time of this writing, at least 42 people are dead; 330 square miles have been burned as a result of 17 fires; and 11,000 firefighters are still battling. Tubbs, Adobe, Atlas: fire names and locations that I will long remember. Before last week, terms such as controlled lines, defensible space, and containment were heard only in the movies. Now, seeing hazy red sunsets and smelling smoke in the air seems almost normal.