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Burned ‍
‍Six months ago, Hurricane Helene stormed up the southern face of the Blue Ridge Escarpment in a swirling fury of wind and rain. In the aftermath of landslides and uprooted trees came light, pouring through canopy gaps, opening the forest floor to new life. This month, spring brings soft green back to the land, but here comes wildfire, eating through forest, jumping firebreaks, racing around steep terrain. Georgia mountains, NC mountains, and in SC, our beloved Table Rock Mountain and Persimmon Ridge are scorched, blackened and blistered. Our neighbors who are the hero firefighters are scorched, blackened and blistered. Once this fire has finished consuming itself, Pyrophilous fungi will send forth tiny fire-dependent mushrooms. Fire-dependent Table Mountain pines will sprout throughout the mountains. Pioneer species will move in, and life will regenerate. Because that’s what life does. Resilience matters. ~K