Wild Weather, Wild Fires

This morning, we awoke to the unmistakable smell and haze of wildfire smoke. Despite feeling the cooler weather last night, the air quality today made it impossible to enjoy being outside.

Having spent time over the years in Lutsen, Minnesota, near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), I still follow the Java Moose coffee shop in Grand Marais on Instagram. A post this morning by the owner, Sara, shared updates from the front lines of the wildfires. Even though we are in Oconomowoc—more than 475 miles and an eight-hour drive from the southern edge of the Minnesota and Ontario fires—our air quality is currently worse than theirs.

On days like today, when the impact of these fires reaches us so far away, my thoughts and prayers are with those struggling with asthma or other health complications.

The wildfire smoke will eventually clear. Until then, please stay safe.

See you in church!