fireworks and fire

Most of you know that we have a pretty good view of the fireworks on Lake Union. We enjoy our Fourth of July's --don't have to go anywhere, don't have to fight traffic and drunk people, and we can just get blankets out of the closet if it gets too cold. The fireworks this year were good, and we saw some new types that we had never seen before. It seems like every year they have something new. Here are a few pictures of the fireworks that David took.

Below is what it looked like outside before the fireworks started. Isn't it pretty?

Maggie knew something was up around 7pm last night. She started pacing around the condo, and didn't really want to come out on the deck with us where we were playing Scrabble. Around 8:30 I got really worried because I couldn't find her anywhere. She wasn't in any of her usual places. She wasn't under the table, or on the side of the bed. And, it didn't look like she had broken down our cardboard dog-gate that was blocking our open front door. She wasn't in her usual spot on the cool bathroom tile, either. But since I couldn't find her, I went all the way into the bathroom, and lo and behold...she was in the bathtub. You could tell she wanted to find someplace safe. We typically have to coax her and give her treats just to get her into the bathtub when we give her a bath, so it was disconcerting to see her willingly laying in the tub. I put a towel down in the tub for her to lay on, and that was where she stayed until the fireworks were over. I alternated between watching the fireworks, and going in to say hello and comfort Maggie. I think she did better this year than she did last year. She definitely chose the place that was quietest in the house.

Around 1/ 1:30 am, a fire broke out across the lake from us on a dock that one of the huge NOAA research boats was moored to. David woke me up to see it. The fire grew to encompass the whole dock, then we saw fire on the boat, and a few hours later (they were still fighting it), the wind shifted and the fire lept onto land and burned down a NOAA building. They evacuated all the houseboats at that point. Luckily no homes were damaged, and no people were injured from the fire.

The thing that makes me mad about the fire, is that it was almost certainly the result of illegal fireworks. They are illegal in the city limits, but some people seem to think they are above the law. The news article on the fire that I read today said that the fire started on the west end of the dock. The is the side closest to us and to the lake. Likely someone on a boat was lighting firecrackers etc, and it landed on the dock and ignited it. It makes me so mad that people have so little care for others property. I mean, for goodness sakes, people are lighting firecrackers in high density housing areas with lots of trees! Are they just assuming that they won't be the one that causes the fire? Someone always does. Here are some pictures of the fire while it was going and the aftermath of the fire that we saw this morning. David did some great camera work for these pictures. They might even get published in the Seattle Times tomorrow!

I believe this picture is of the fire after it moved to the land.
Look at the blaze on the dock!
It is such a frightening, and sad sight.
You can see the fireboat pouring water on the blaze in the pic. below. The NOAA boat is easily visible in front of the fire. There were a few fireboats working, and they called in every firetruck from Seattle and asked for help from all the surrounding communities. It still took them hours to finally put it out.


Morning Pictures:
Look at all the smoke still coming off in the morning

Below is the NOAA boat. The boat is typically a light grey color--the side you see is black b/c it has been charred by the fire.

This whole story just re-iterates how stupid non-professional fireworks can be in most city areas. I'll bet it was from fireworks--how else would a spark get to the end of the dock? Why do people risk their lives and others' lives, just for a cheap thrill?