When I was a kid I was terrified of dying in a fire. I had nightmares about it constantly. I'm pretty sure I never knew anyone whose house burned down or anything like that. In fact, I'm pretty sure I never saw, or even heard of a fire in Gainesville when I was growing up. It's a wet place. Things don't just up and burn in a city with daily thunderstorms.
I wouldn't say there's a large incidence of fire here, but it seems that way. It's enough that it's noticeable at least. Last Friday I came home from school around 4 & went out on my balcony to do some laundry, got it all set up, turned around to look at the buildings and the ocean and the mountains and....
....the smoke climbed up and up......and up......and the helicopters went in like insects in a storm. I wasn't really sure what they were doing. I heard the sirens start, stop, and start again. I saw the pillar of smoke billow and widen and reach the clouds, then shrink back down. I didn't watch the news that night (because I never do) so I don't know what was burning.
The windmill down by the ocean blew the smoke back up toward the city, but I kept my balcony door open so I could take a million pictures of someone else's misfortune. The old ladies who work in the office downstairs went out in the parking lot and pointed and stared, then went back inside. Not that concerned I guess.
The next day it started to rain. It hasn't stopped since. Kind of screwed up when you think about it.
