Home»Portola Valley Ranch, Windy Hill, Etc.»August 2020: From Storm Light to Smoky Vistas

The amazing lightning storm the early morning of August 16 brought increased stress to our region. Lightning-sparked fires blossomed in the following days, kicking off one of the worst fire seasons in California's history. These photos document some relatively minor impacts of the smoky air, in Portola Valley, California, a few miles from where people lost their lives and homes to the fires. We are fine here, but apprehensive, facing multiple unknowns: fire season, pandemic, elections, community. I'm afraid these challenges will never be "over" --- getting back to "business as usual" looks increasingly unlikely. Let's support each other and appreciate what we do have, realizing that while some of us may be lucky so far, others are faced with life-changing disaster. Can we work together to make this world work for all of us?