A Rumble in the Night Sky

As a severe heatwave envelops Europe, we find that we are spending more and more of the day indoors. Any outdoor jobs that need doing have to be completed early in the morning. As the evening cools, we venture outdoors again and that is when we retreat to the pool to swim and read and watch the night draw in. Two nights ago , the 21st June marked the Summer Solstice, and as we were anticipating the longest night of the year, we heard a deep rumble in the sky. This grew louder and louder until, looking up, we saw three planes passing overhead. Canadairs! If you have read my earlier blogs , you will know that these are fire-fighting planes. Our peace was restored, but not long afterwards the rumble returned as these same planes returned , heading north. Alas , the evening was no longer ours to enjoy alone , for these planes came and went for the next two hours. "They must be picking up water in Lac Salagou," we commented, for we have often seen this before. We watched them come and go as the sun grew ever lower in the sky.

As we went to bed that evening we could still hear a rumble in the sky. A local newspaper article the next morning revealed that the fire had been in the mountains to the north of us, close to the town of Nant. Apparently it had eventually been put out.