time-warping holiday tree

new year's eve brush fire

On New Year's Eve around 10pm, I heard sirens, so I lifted a curtain to look outside. Rather than seeing a fire truck rushing by, it stopped right there in the road, and I saw a line of BRIGHT FIERY ORANGE FLAMES!!

There had been 2 loud (very nearby) booms earlier in the evening, from people nearby shooting fireworks. But then Qiao and I had started watching a movie, and hadn't paid much attention to the goings-on outside.

One of those early fireworks must have landed on the other side of the road. The grass and shrubbery was aflame. Fortunately, there are no houses on that side of the road. As I saw a burning ember wisp into the air towards my side of the street, I realized the fire could be a danger to my house, if it managed to cross the street.

But the firefighters did a good job in quickly putting out the flames. The fire didn't spread very far. By the time I thought to get my camera, the flames were mostly out.

I did take some photos the next day of the charred ground where the fire had been.