June 6. Lightning struck quite near our house on Pusch Ridge, part of the Catalina mountains in Tucson. The preceding months were dry so it’s not surprising it ignited a fire. It began on our side of the mountain but didn’t seem to be threatening as we have only desert flora around us. However, when the fire got access to the forested wilderness east of us it took off and spread like—what else—wildfire. I now have a real feel for that metaphor. The picture above is from our backyard.

The county authorities put our area on alert for the possible need to evacuate our home. My wife and I packed suitcases and loaded important documents in our car. The fire, however, slowly moved away from us into the wilderness to the East. We could see night-time fire and heavy smoke drifted over us for many days.

 The fire burned for several weeks and destroyed an enormous amount of acreage. Thanks to the efforts of around a thousand firefighters and helicopters and planes dropping water and fire-retardant chemicals no homes ever burned. Now expected are mudslides as the monsoon rains are due to begin soon. This experience crystalized the difference between watching a disaster on TV and being personally threatened: nature is in charge.

As my wife notes, 2020 has been a hell of a year. We have lived with Covid as a health risk and the cause of a compromised lifestyle and a devastating wildfire. My wife now expects giant swarms of locusts and says she won’t be surprised if they are followed by four horsemen.