For nearly a month, ash fell from Portland's sky as the Columbia Gorge burned. The thoughtless acts of a few individuals sparked the destruction of an ecosystem and put the health of an entire city at risk. One of the hottest summers on record ended not with a natural forest fire, but a manmade one. Now that rain is clearing the smoke from the skies, I find the metaphor of the wildfire to be particularly poignant. When a forest becomes overgrown, it must burn to lay the grounds for a new generation. This time, however, the burning was not caused by natural means; rather, by outside forces. No matter where the initial ember comes from, the fire can work as a cleansing force. Even though we may not have asked to be consumed by flames, we may have needed a new start. Something wonderful might have been reduced to cinders, but new beauty will always rise from the ashes. #PortlandOregon #Portland #Oregon #ColumbiaGorge #ColumbiaGorgeFire #PacificNorthWest #pnw #forestfire #wildfire #phoenix #risefromtheashes #newbeginnings #summer2017 #latesummer2017 #2017
