This photo was on Yahoo tonight. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. This one tells the story of what's going on in the "Mareck" wildfire threatening Lakeview Terrace, California. I wrote about my thoughts on the fire yesterday, having been close to fires four times and evacuated once. I've been very worried about my friends who have a ranch in Lakeview Terrace. They're fantastic people who have dedicated their lives and just about every penny they have or can raise through their non-profit foundation, to helping disabled kids and young adults as well as working with kids of all ages and abilities in an equestrian vaulting program. See more about them on www.valleyviewvaulters.com.

I'm trying to reconcile all of this in my mind. Bad things happening to good people. The ranch that houses Valley View Vaulters is now threatened by the fire. The horses have been evacuated to L.A. Equestrian Center as Rick Hawthorne travels back and forth to feed and exercise them.

Only days ago, the Hawthornes took in refugee horses themselves from Big Tujunga Canyon. Now the rescuers have become the victims, not knowing from one moment to the next whether or not they will be evacuated. Their life work, and the fates of the kids they help could be wiped out in a heartbeat. According to tonight's news, those fires have now been ruled arson. I have to ask myself what kind of person does this? Destroys lives, like those of the two firemen who perished when their vehicle plunged into the canyon, wipes out property like that of all the people who have lost their homes, dreams and memories, and for what? The thrill of seeing the flames?

Here's a little excerpt from an e-mail I received today from my dear friends. I only hope that their home/ranch is spared and their lives can return to a semblance of normalacy. And the kids--those incredible kids with so much heart, the ones they help--can resume their lessons soon.

Imagine what it must have felt like for my friend to write this while the flames licked at the edges of an area much too close for comfort: "Our horses have been evacuated to the LA Equestrian Center (on Sunday) and we have been told to prepare to evacuate also. The fire is deep in the mountains right now, but is moving to a part of the Lake View Terrace area, Little Tujunga Canyon, again, on the other side of Foothill. Rick needs to feed and clean the horses daily. We are getting help for that also. The smoke is awful . . . . I'm staying at home now and inside , which helps somewhat, and we need to be here to know when and if we are to be evacuated."

MORGAN