Musing -- on the editor's mind

Driving through California’s Sonoma County wine country with my brother and his wife, we weren’t tourists: we drive the main highway to their wine club membership winery. Five miles from their house, Cindy said, “this is as close as the fires came.” A half hour later Phil pointed out trees green on top and brown below, telltale sign where the fires had been. And then there were chimneys on concrete foundations, hulks of burnt out cars and banner signs thanking first responders. The first two seem post war zone, the last are from a grateful community.

In the news last week were stories of east coast blizzards and bitter cold. Locally, in northern Marin County, the rain Jan. 3 and 4 was the first since Nov. 8. Last year’s record snow pack is merely a memory and a future hope. Sunday’s paper reported a Monday storm forecast for two inches of rain and significant snow in the Sierras.

We are weather watchers now not for idle conversation but out of concern for the future of our homes, neighborhoods, communities and region. Fire District 13 staff worry that a dry summer primes woods for fires they can’t reach from the road. This is the new normal: Heightened awareness, community training to support first responders and ongoing efforts by this town’s planning commission and staff emphasizing flood mitigation.

The greatest threat in the 21st century might be complacency and not preparing for how fast, in real time, our natural environment is changing.