I live on the north end of Lake Tahoe, about 50 miles from the fire. Right now the entire basin is filled with smoke. You can taste it in the air even at this distance.

The news this morning said it was 40% contained and that 240 homes were lost. The fire is "only" 2700 acres. That's tiny for one of our wildfires, but it's in a developed area. So far, many thanks, no lives have been lost.

I've spoken to someone who lives down there. She said the community response has been tremendous. The hotels are taking in people whose homes have been destroyed. There are people taking in animals and donating food for them. The whole area is really taking care of it's own.

It's so scary to those of us who live anywhere around the lake. It could be us next. It was a very dry winter after a big, wet one last year. There's a ton of underbrush and small trees that will burn given any chance.