Stop and smell the ... forest fires?

The morning could not have started any better--a cool 59 degrees, and two cups of good coffee.  I intentionally delayed having breakfast because I wanted to have it at Granzella's, which I hoped to reach after an hour and a half of driving.

The long and winding drive was absolutely scenic, initially through the wine country, and then on the leeward side of the mountains.  All of a sudden, I smelled smoke.  Momentarily I panicked that the engine had overheated.  But, to my immense relief, the gauge reported normal conditions.  No smoke behind me either.

That meant only one thing--there was some serious fire and I was driving towards it.

On the mountain stretch, it was not like I had any alternative routes to consider either.  My only hassle was mundane--I hadn't had breakfast, and my stomach was making noises!

A couple of miles later, a digital message board said a delay of 30 minutes to two hours was possible because of fires.  So, there was the confirmation.

Soon, I had visual proof of the fires, and it was not a pleasant landscape anymore.  I pulled over to take in the scenery, and to take photographs as well.

It was like a gray winter landscape on a warm summer day.  Surreal.  And that smoky smell.

I got into the car, and heard a helicopter approaching.  So, I was off the vehicle again, and watched the chopper fly over the area, and proceed towards where the fire was being fought, I guessed.

Quite a few fire engines suddenly came from around the bend, and raced on.  I wondered how large the fire was, and how long the eventual road block would last for.

I drove, but barely for a few minutes and stopped, again, when I passed what seemed to a staging area for firefighters.

A couple more miles--the traffic had been stopped.  It was obvious that one of the two lanes had been reserved for the emergency vehicles, and the regular vehicles in both directions will have to alternatively use the other lane.  The line became longer and longer and longer.

More emergency vehicles rushed past us.  As always, people were polite and even friendly and engaged in chit-chat while waiting out.  After about half an hour, the long convoy of vehicles started showing up from the other direction, led by a highway patrol escort.  Soon, that flow ebbed to nil, and it was our turn, with the highway patrol car as our leader.

As we slowly drove, I took photos of the smoke that got more intense on the side.

 Flames were visible in some areas even through the thick smoke, though the flame is barely a speck in the photo below.

One of the first things I did after reaching home was to look for update on this fire.  Apparently more than 300 firefighters are involved in this effort, which is significantly under control, and more than 7000 acres have been burnt.

This is merely one of the fires during the heat wave.  I thank the firefighters, and wish them well.