Wildfires

A tribute to the heroes and victims of the recent wildfires in California.

The bright, hot, and unforgiving sun
Radiating intense, sweltering heat;
Dry California brush stretching endlessly
Across exposed hilly slopes and sun-drenched valleys
Threaten a scorching and disastrous plight for millions.
Deliberate or unwanted sparks set off horrific
And deadly wildfires spanning the entire state;
A parched region continually denied of much needed rain
Becomes a blazing, windy, and luckless home
To numerous, relentless infernos. 
Thousands of brave and fearless firefighters,
Arriving in trucks, planes, and helicopters
With thousands of tons of machinery and equipment,
Prepare to battle the widespread onslaught.
The fight to save victims and residences
And ultimately, to control and extinguish the flames entirely
Taking several, heart-rending weeks.
In the end, the intrepid firefighters prevail
Over the windy and hot conditions
And expunge the costly blazes.
But the dreaded wildfire season claims
Its vicious and permanent losses –
Lives, homes, and precious memories
Lost forever…