Burn, Consume, Destroy

“Whoa,” we exclaim in unison, staring intently out the car window as ominous clouds of black and gray swirl to the sky.

“Cool,” my brother says.

“Pretty,” whispers my sister.

“Terrifying,” I breathe silently.

The blood-red sun, draped in a veil of thick smoke, sinks further beneath the burning mountains. Everything in my vision, on the left side of our car, is aflame. Orange and red work fiercely, destroying everything in its path.

“Burn,” the fire seems to say, “Burn and consume. Consume it all,” as it grows even hungrier with a literal burning desire to destroy.

On my right, the world goes on as usual. The sky is clear blue, and the only clouds are fluffy and white, like cotton balls. Several cows loiter in a yellow-brown field, chewing dead grass nonchalantly. They show no sign of witnessing the a horrifying event. Birds chirp happily in their nests, insects buzz along, all unaware of the raging monster chanting, “Burn. Consume. Burn. Destroy.”

The scene still haunts me. How can the rest of the world be so ignorant of this tragedy, of the houses destroyed, the homes abandoned, the beauty of nature reduced to ashes, the courageous men and women fighting the flames so valiantly? Or, more importantly, the lives that have been lost?

Maybe things won't change. But even if most remain unconcerned about the wildfires burning up our country, I am one person who has been affected by three whispered words: Burn, Consume, Destroy.