A month later, Joe and Elaine drove across the river to check conditions in the forest that had been an inferno during the wildfire. The city and county were working on a joint application for federal assistance in the recovery effort.
They talked occasionally about the new statewide approach by small towns to prevent and fight wildfires, plans for the rapidly approaching Thanksgiving, and the possibility of her taking a permanent job at the health center because Look Alive had come to an end.
“What’s the final tally?” Joe asked.
“Out of seventy-five teams, sixty-five completed the program. A few were reorganized out of several defunct groups. Total weight lost, more than a ton!”
“Super. I accounted for twelve of those pounds. What about you?”
“I’m closer to eight, but I’m happy with my results.”
Joe pulled to a stop at the intersection of the two dirt roads where they’d outrun the fire just over a month ago. They climbed out of the Range Rover and walked around in a wide circle. Already grass was growing back thick and lush, and a few final wildflowers had reestablished themselves. A Steller’s Jay flew by, showing off its blue body, and landed on a charred branch.
Elaine marveled. “I thought the destruction was so absolute, nothing would grow for years. We’d only see ants and beetles.”
Joe took her hand. “Nature can be kind as well as cruel. No matter what the circumstances, life survives, even thrives.”
“Sounds like a motto for our relationship.”
“Agreed,” said Joe.
Please read on to learn more about the author, Bonnie McCune, and to read a sample from her novel, A Saint Comes Stumbling In.