Hi all,
 
Many of you will remember the fight we had here with grass fires last
February and March.  I stayed packed and ready to leave at any moment day or
night.  I also got little sleep for watching the skies, even at night.
Fires burned thousands of acres in my county alone.  We even made the
national news.
 
Well, we had *record rainfall* this February and just about floated away (my
gravel driveway is now in front of my neighbors' house :< ), but I never
complained because it was better than worrying if I would become a "crispy
critter".  Well, I thought that all that rain would spare me and the fuzzies
the worry about fires this year....I WAS WRONG!!!  It hasn't rained in a
couple of weeks and I guess the wind and sun have just dried everything out
again.  There is a huge fire right this moment only 3 miles from me, and the
wind is up today.  There were at least three fires (smoke visible from my
house) yesterday.  I saw military helicopters even hauling water to drop on
those fires.  So it looks like we are in for more of the same as last year
unless we get some more rain quick.
 
In case you don't know, I am in Texas, kinda near the Ft. Worth/Dallas area.
I am also surrounded by wilderness!  We won't hang around if a fire gets
close, there would be no way to fight it off, too much dry brush and trees
and such.  So I guess it's time to pack up supplies again just in case we
have to leave in a hurry.  (It'll be quite interesting if I have to cram 42
fuzz-butts into a pickup and hurry outa here.) I am also seriously
considering buying a scanner to stay up to the minute on the local fires.  I
just hate to spend that money if it is going to rain tomorrow or the next
day...we'll see.  I am driving down the road every few hours today to keep
an eye on this big one closest to me today.
 
It is a good thing I work for myself and my schedule is flexible or I'd have
to quit my job to stay home and watch the fires and protect the fuzzy-kids.
I only have to go out for a couple of hours to work this afternoon, so
that's not too bad.
 
Kisses to the fuzzies,
Trish
Director, Ferrets First Rescue & Shelter
[Posted in FML issue 1880]