An evening view of the Holy Jim Fire as seen from Lake Elsinore, California.
In my role as good Samaritan and decent human being, I'm pitching in with others to help with the clean up effort today/in a few minutes. A lot of people in the path of the fire were old/poor and from what I've heard, they were overwhelmed. No kidding, right? So I'm showing up as a "grip"with a shovel and a broom in weather that promises to reach 93 degrees.
There have been looters in the impacted area so yes, I'll be armed, but you'd expect that wouldn't you? Since I'm going in with the Sheriff's Department as part of their community effort, I doubt that I'll have an opportunity to exercise my right of self-defense.
Usually these sorts of efforts are "Chinese fire drills" (with apologies to my Chinese readers). But I'll be there, wearing work clothes (as opposed to my standard summer wardrobe of shorts, t-shirt and sandals) and doing my part. If I find that I am able to do any good, I'll return tomorrow.