We waited a long time to visit our cabin. We hadn't made the trip since we fled last August at the onset of the KNP fire.
Last year's KNP complex fire was frightening, and ultimately devastating. But, thanks to the good work of the firefighters, Silver City, the little community where our cabin resides, was spared.
The road up to the cabin, however, was evidence enough of the effects of the devastating fire. The farther up the road we went, the more burn areas appeared. Some areas were burned clean to the ground, and no vegetation had yet to arise from the ashes. And yet, other areas already showed signs of renewal, with little green shoots, and patches of wild flowers sprouting. These made our hearts glad.
Prior to the fire, the forest was already under siege from the bark beetle, and millions of trees had died because of this deadly infestation. These areas were particularly ripe for fire, and this is where the greatest impact of the fire was seen. Acres of burned trees, and stumps, with no green in sight.
And yet, we know, these areas, too, will rise. Perhaps by next year there will be little patches of green, and even new little sequoias showing themselves to the sun.
And our cabin? It weathered the storm quite well. The pipes didn't burst, there was only a moderate amount of additional dust, or ash in the cabin, and all was intact.
The firefighters did cut down many trees, and lots of ground cover and vegetation around the cabins so that the fire would not catch near the residences. This made the town look a little bit different, but certainly worth it.
It was a successful adventure, and we can't wait to get back up the mountain soon!