Great Dismal Swamp Fire

[deb]

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_dismalfire_0705jul05,0,386419.story

Over 4,300 acres have burned thus far. Please pray for rain to stop this fire. It is affecting the weather conditions here in Hampton Roads and on the other side of the water (Va Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake). Today we can see the smoke and smell the fire, which smells like burning tires. We have been under an orange code for air quality conditions.

[TW]

As an old Florida swamp rat I can relate to this. The Everglades burn every year to one degree or another. It's part of the natural cycle. During drought years it becomes a major problem. This is intensified by man's attempts to drain and control the swamps. While the efforts may have been well meant, they have created situations such as this by changing the normal flow of water through the swamps. In the Everglades the soil is called muck, not peat, although they are the same thing.

I am praying that the entire south east coast gets some good steady rains, y'all need them.


TW

[Susie Hamilton]

The smoke from that fire has been causing problems with my sinuses. It has been going now for over a month and everytime the wind blows from the south, we get heavy smoke, so heavy sometimes it takes your breath away. I pray they get it under control soon.