January’s Eaton Fire was preceded by eight months of almost zero rainfall and a lot of dry brush. That all changed in February when, at long last, it rained. With the February rains, Eaton Wash became a torrent of ash and soot.
On February 13, near the height of the rain, I wandered down New York Drive to the bridge over Eaton Wash. The picture above is what I saw and the video below is what I saw and heard. It was bleak.
Eaton Wash is a favorite subject for this blog. Some of my first posts, like this in March 2008 and this in February 2009, were taken from very near this spot. It’s a good vantage point to see the canyon and stream of water.
In February and March, Eaton Wash is a wonderful seasonal stream that bounces from rock to rock as it flows under the bridge. It seems out of place in urban southern California and that makes it all the more beautiful. I’ve walked along that stream many times and that ’08 post was a typical adventure into the canyon with my then ten year old son.
But, this year there is no wonderful seasonal stream. No walking in the canyon. Instead, I stood in the rain and looked down on the charred banks of the wash. Black water, filled with soot and ash, bounced over the rocks and I was surprised at just how deep and dark the water was. This water was not on its way to give life. This water was carrying the remnants of life.
Adding to the pall were the burned down homes that bordered the wash to the south. Those were the homes on Dove Creek Lane. It felt eerie to walk along New York Drive, sludge filled wash on one side and the remnants of burned homes on the other.
During this season seems I’ve been reminded over and over of the overpowering, uncontrollable, force of nature. The winds, the fires the rains. People, even in southern California. are really no match for nature at its wildest. But, in the end, that’s best. Otherwise, we would have little hope of Eaton Canyon ever returning to this:
Or this:
Or this:
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