The last 2 weeks of July 2016, the valley where I live was covered with smoke and falling ash from the huge Sand Fire (the name CalFire gave to the brush fire). For several days, the fire raged in the canyons around the Santa Clarita Valley. It came as close as 7 miles from my home. I could see the flames and watch the aerial attack on the fire from my front porch.
My dog Hiker and I love to hike the Placerita Canyon Trail in the Placerita Canyon State Park when the weather is cooler. It is beautiful there. In the spring it is lush and green with huge old oak trees and when we have rain, there is a babbling creek running along-side the trail.
Below is how the Canyon Trail looked when Hiker and I were there in February 2016.
Here are photos of the fire when it first started a couple of weeks ago.
The fire burned in the Angeles National Forest for about 2 weeks. Thankfully, they had it 100% contained as of yesterday.
Today, Hiker and I drove along Placerita Canyon Road. The park is closed do to the damage caused by the Sand Fire. I took photos along the way to show the destruction.
This is what the canyon looked like as we drove through.
It will be a long time before Mother Nature brings this area back to the way it looked not long ago, but one day it will be lush again.
My dog Hiker and I love to hike the Placerita Canyon Trail in the Placerita Canyon State Park when the weather is cooler. It is beautiful there. In the spring it is lush and green with huge old oak trees and when we have rain, there is a babbling creek running along-side the trail.
Below is how the Canyon Trail looked when Hiker and I were there in February 2016.
Here are photos of the fire when it first started a couple of weeks ago.
Day 1:
Day 2:
On Day 3, the fire was only 7 miles from my home. It had grown very large.
Later on Day 3, the fire fighters attack the fire from the air with planes and helicopters.
After the attack, it seemed that they had gotten this part of the fire under control.
Today, Hiker and I drove along Placerita Canyon Road. The park is closed do to the damage caused by the Sand Fire. I took photos along the way to show the destruction.
This is what the canyon looked like as we drove through.
It will be a long time before Mother Nature brings this area back to the way it looked not long ago, but one day it will be lush again.
