Seeking Refuge

When we bought our little piece of the Mojave, we knew we were becoming part of the desert. We didn't expect to witness one of its most dramatic reminders of how quickly life can change. In the summer of 2023, the York Fire swept across the New York Mountains, turning the horizon into a wall of flames.

The York Fire eventually burned more than 93,000 acres across the Mojave National Preserve and into Nevada, making it the largest wildfire in California that year. Although the fire came frighteningly close, our property was spared.

Then came an unexpected visitor.

A hawk landed beside one of our water bowls. Instead of hunting, it simply rested. For hours it drank, watched the landscape, and seemed content to recover before continuing on. In that moment I realized our little oasis wasn't just attracting wildlife—it had become a refuge.

The desert can seem empty until you realize how many lives depend on it. Watching the York Fire reminded me how quickly home can disappear—and how something as simple as a bowl of water can become a place of refuge.

Sometimes, the smallest acts matter most.