On fire

The Karen people like fire. I guess I don't blame them: they don't get fireworks shows like I see at home. Anyway, anything dry in the forest is fair game for mini infernos.

I think that yearly forest fires are standard procedure in much of Asia.  The yearly fires keep the forests clear, preventing them from becoming overgrown jungles.  Finding clear air, and keeping lungs clear is another story. I'm blessed to suffer no more than torrents of harmless phlegm a couple times a day. However, other people here really suffer from all the smoke: it almost hurts to hear them cough.

I need to put this in perspective: the air here is usually better than in most of Thailand.  I just am really thankful for the good air we enjoy in Canada.

Many of us have been trying to teach the staff and students here to compost leaves instead of burning them. The gardens would really benefit from this. However, trying to teach a Karen person to not burn leaves is comparable to teaching a North American to like using a squat loo.  It's almost as hard as getting me to do something a better way when I like my way.

Anyway, I keep thinking about how there are so many Karen people who are excellent at hauling stuff from the jungle but are wasting their lives away in refugee camps - almost imprisoned there while they wait for immigration processes or political changes.  If only Thailand could put together a program that would keep the Karen refugees busy, keep both forests and air clear, and support sustainable agriculture...

About a month ago, I had to keep this fire away from my hut.

The Karen like small, controlled fires...until they get bored of them
Looks like someone decided to blaze a trail here. 

It was a better show than the volcano I saw from a distance in Ecuador

I sometimes see ~3" charcoal leafs drifting from the sky - even when there is no fire burning within a kilometer or 2

On Wednesday, just before I was supposed to teach some boys how to square a building, a bunch of guys had to scramble to keep the fire here from threatening the Stecks' house.  There is no warning given before areas are set ablaze.

One benefit of the fires: beautiful orange So-Cal style sunrises

I prefer these flames

I must admit: I've been here long enough to resort to fire.  I couldn't make my drill-bits last long drilling for toe-nails.  But I have to drill, otherwise the wood splits.  I was stumped, but Damlawa had a solution: he hammered a nail to shape, put it in the drill, and showed me how to burn the holes right through.  It works great.