Red Sun

[crashbang]

Roof of a football stadium in Cork blown down

[CAMiller]

We're getting exactly the same effect where I am in Northern California. Ours is coming from the drifting smoke from the huge forest fires that are burning about thirty miles away to the north-east in Napa and Sonoma Counties. It's slowly improving but the smoke haze, smell of burning wood and thin layer of ash on everything is a constant reminder. Many deaths and thousands have lost homes.

Had a similar experience here in WA a couple of months back where large fires all around 'blocked' out the direct sun giving it a red glow for about 2 weeks and some spectacular sunsets. When I see the crews fighting those fires it often makes me wonder if. firemen in the UK have an easy or at least easier life?

[millertop]

Roof of a football stadium in Cork blown down

School roof blown of at a school too
Sounds like parts of Ireland has been shut down, no tram or buses running, bridge shut off, school shut

UK ready to help them if needed

[millmoormagic]

Had a similar experience here in WA a couple of months back where large fires all around 'blocked' out the direct sun giving it a red glow for about 2 weeks and some spectacular sunsets. When I see the crews fighting those fires it often makes me wonder if. firemen in the UK have an easy or at least easier life?

It's all relative to what you're facing isn't it Cam, sure on the face of it our fire crews may seem to have a decent role, but when asked the question, their skillsets come to the fore, ala Grenfell etc.

[monty_rhodes]

Had a similar experience here in WA a couple of months back where large fires all around 'blocked' out the direct sun giving it a red glow for about 2 weeks and some spectacular sunsets. When I see the crews fighting those fires it often makes me wonder if. firemen in the UK have an easy or at least easier life?

Sad to see lazy ***ism from you of all people, Cam. The head of the fire service in the UK yesterday called for an end to the use of the term "firemen" as this was putting off female applicants. The correct term is now "fire fighter". I'm not so surea nd would like to run this past the LGBT etc community first and, of course, the white poppy brigade are opposed to use of "fighter" in any context.

[CTMilller]

Had a similar experience here in WA a couple of months back where large fires all around 'blocked' out the direct sun giving it a red glow for about 2 weeks and some spectacular sunsets. When I see the crews fighting those fires it often makes me wonder if. firemen in the UK have an easy or at least easier life?

It does seem to be a major fire year both here and in Europe as millertop pointed out above. I was up in Oregon last month ( I actually set foot in your state briefly, CAM, by crossing the bridge over the Columbia River at Astoria!) and you could barely make out Mt Shasta
coming up Interstate 5 the smoke was so thick...

I wouldn't want to get into any debate about whose firefighters have the hardest time of it. Beating back forest fires is dangerous and exhausting but dealing with major building fires like the Grenfell one is probably more arduous. All I know is that I take my hat off to all these people in the fires services. I did the 9 week Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program last year to become a second level responder in the event of a major disaster here and it was run by many of our local fire crew (several of whom are now working on the Napa/Sonoma fires.) I have to say They were all extremely professional knowledgeable

and skilled.

[CAMiller]

Sad to see lazy ***ism from you of all people, Cam. The head of the fire service in the UK yesterday called for an end to the use of the term "firemen" as this was putting off female applicants. The correct term is now "fire fighter". I'm not so surea nd would like to run this past the LGBT etc community first and, of course, the white poppy brigade are opposed to use of "fighter" in any context.

To use a great Americanism, my bad Monty. When I first heard that on arriving here I responded "your bad what?" Never thought it would pollute the English language but as I've heard it being used on Coronation Street I guess it has

Back on point I hear the preferred term is fire f.uckers but they are having problems getting mainstream media to adopt it.

I take your point CT.

[monty_rhodes]

To use a great Americanism, my bad Monty. When I first heard that on arriving here I responded "your bad what?" Never thought it would pollute the English language but as I've heard it being used on Coronation Street I guess it has

Back on point I hear the preferred term is fire f.uckers but they are having problems getting mainstream media to adopt it.

I take your point CT.

When I hear that phrase I start to reach for my baseball bat.

[CAMiller]

When I hear that phrase I start to reach for my baseball bat.

You are preaching to the converted, or should that be choir?

[monty_rhodes]

You are preaching to the converted, or should that be choir?

I was disappointed to read of your golf exploits (and gm's too for that matter). I played for many years and never shifted from my opening handicap of 28. I decided to bin it and concentrate on things which I was good at although this remains a work in progress.