HOT Wednesday Burning In Wichita Falls

A few minutes before 5 o'clock, on this first Wednesday of the 2026 version of August, I exited my abode, heading for my almost daily visit to air-conditioned Walmart, when, as soon as I shut the door I heard shouting, someone screaming "call the police" and then what I thought were gunshots.

I went back inside my abode, looked out the window and saw a car on fire. I could see people standing, watching the fire, not in any sort of panic caused by guns shooting.

So, I exited my abode again, got to ground level, and took the photo you see above. There were multiple bursts of flame, making that noise which sounded like gunfire.

By the time I got to my motorized means of motion, two firetrucks had arrived. Then a lady drove onto my driveway, asked me if she could park there, and that that was her husband's car burning. 

By the time I got back from Walmart the entire scene was totally cleaned up.

No clue as to what caused this car to burn.  

We are well over 100 degrees today. I don't think that could be the cause of a car catching fire.

Nature Communing At Parched Sikes Lake Thinking About Washington Wildfires

For the first time in several days, on this third day of the 2026 version of August, it was to an outdoor venue, instead of Walmart, I ventured to do my nature communing and endorphin acquiring.

That outdoor venue today was Sikes Lake.

The temperature was in the low 80s. The past two days we have not heated over 100 degrees. Starting today, and into the near future, each August day is predicted to get over 100 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

As you can see, via the photo documentation of the view, looking south, from the north end of Sikes Lake, the lake is currently experiencing a water shortage. That is a line of geese on the sand bar created by the falling lake level.

So far, our lack of rain has not caused that which is green to turn brown, for the most part. 

Meanwhile, the longtime drought and parched conditions in my old home state of Washington has resulted in massive wildfires. The worst of which has forced the evacuation of over 60,000 Spokane residents, and has burned and destroyed hundreds of Spokane homes.

My longtime dear friend, Alice, has been reporting, via Facebook updates, her current condition in Tonasket. Tonasket is a small Eastern Washington town, north of Chelan and Wenatchee. Two days ago, Tonasket's law enforcement rolled through town with a loudspeaker informing Tonasketans that they were under a Level 2 Evacuation Warning. Level 2 means you need to be ready to evacuate, should the Level go to 3.

So far, Alice has seen a lot of smoke, and flames in the distance, but the fires have stayed out of Tonasket.

HOT Final Day Of July Nature Communing In Walmart's Air-Conditioned Comfort

Washington's Linda Lou called me when I had my hands full, whilst leaving my abode, on my way to Walmart for some salubrious late afternoon air-conditioned nature communing and wildlife observing.

When I got to my vehicle my hands were no longer full, other than the phone in my two hands, aimed at the rear-view mirror so as to photo document the temperature inside my vehicle.

120 degrees as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

The outer world temperature was way cooler than 120 degrees, at a relatively chilly 107 degrees.

Walmart's air-conditioner does a fairly good job at keeping it cool. My personal abode seems to do a better job at keeping cool, than Walmart. 

Rain and thunderstorms had been predicted for today. So far, neither has happened. Looking out my window all I see is a clear blue sky. No clouds.

The final day of July has been a HOT one. The first two days of August are currently predicted to be relatively chilly, in the low 90s.

July Goes Out In A Blaze Of HEAT

The final two days of the 2026 version of July are currently scheduled to be HOT. 104 degrees on the final Thursday of July, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, with it being three degrees HOTTER for the final Friday of the month.

We are currently on track to break the record for number of 100 degree days.

During my years of living in the west coast state of Washington any day with a temperature in the 70s, or above, was considered hot. In Washington, if you wanted to experience Texas-style heat all you had to do was head east of the Cascade Mountains, to the more desert-like climate of Eastern Washington.

Tomorrow's 107 degrees is also predicted to include a thunderstorm. That should be interesting, if it happens.
 

Avoiding Monday Heat Stroke Via Walmart Air-Conditioning

Due to the extreme current heat scorching us in North Texas the National Weather Service advised that it would be wise to limit one's outdoor exposure on this final Monday of the 2026 version of July.

So, it was to Walmart I ventured for my daily salubrious endorphin acquisition and nature communing.

Which would make the above photo documentation me aiming my phone camera at one of the Walmart security monitor screens.

You would not know it by the photo documentation, but it is actually quite bright inside Walmart. I do not know why my photo documentation seems to indicate otherwise.

Currently we are scheduled to have one HOT Day after another for the next 10 days, give or take a day or two. I think tomorrow I might opt for a different indoor nature communing location. Target. That store is not quite as big as Walmart, it is about the same distance from my abode, maybe closer, than Walmart.

The selection of wildlife one gets to see at Target is never as entertaining as that which I see at my nearby Walmart.

HOT 112 Degree Sunday Walmart Experience

A few minutes before 5 this last Sunday afternoon of the 2026 version of July, I opted to exit my air-conditioned comfort to walk the short distance to my air-conditioned motorized means of motion to drive myself to Walmart to enjoy some more air-conditioned comfort whilst observing the interesting wildlife.

The above photo documentation is me taking a photo of my vehicle's rear-view mirror, which also serves to indicate direction and the temperature.

As you can almost clearly see, we are heading South and the temperature is 112 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

Walmart's air-conditioner seemed to be having a little trouble keeping up with its cooling duties. Some must have known this would be the case today, as I have never seen so many scantily clad shoppers in Walmart on any previous visit.

Tomorrow is currently scheduled to be hotter than today.

A Relatively Chilly Thursday Sunflower Hike Around Sikes Lake

The last couple 100 degree plus days my nature communing has taken place in the air-conditioned comfort of Walmart.

Today, the 4th Thursday of the 2026 version of July, with the temperature in the relatively chilly 80s, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for some salubrious outdoor nature communing and that activity's endorphin acquisition. 

In the photo documentation you are looking northwest from the eastern shore of Sikes Lake, looking through what I think is a patch of sunflowers.

According to the current forecast we will be having a lot of the coming days getting heated to over 100 degrees.

I no longer have cold tapwater. I have lukewarm tapwater. Actually, I think it feels warmer than lukewarm.

The swimming pool is too warm to make for a cooling dip. I half fill my bathtub with that lukewarm tapwater, which eventually cools to the air-conditioned temperature of 78, which makes for a cooling dip in the tub, which I did when I got back from Sikes Lake.

I am looking forward to Winter...

Escaping Dangerous 107 DegreeHeat Nature Communing In Walmart

The HOTTEST day of the year, so far, is currently predicted to happen today, going to 107 degrees as measured by the Fahrenheit method of measuring the temperature.

We are being advised to minimize outdoor activity today. So, no Sikes Lake, no Lake Wichita Dam, no Mount Wichita, no Wichita Bluffs Nature Area, no Lucy Park.

It is to Walmart I shall venture this morning for my nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

The wildlife at Walmart is actually more varied and interesting than any wild thing I see at any of my outdoor venues.

Hot Humid Sunny Sunday Lucy Park Nature Communing

On this third Sunday of the 2026 version of July, it was back to Lucy Park I ventured for some much-needed endorphin acquisition  acquired by doing some nature communing whilst high speed walking.

I avoided the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle today assuming it had been rendered muddy by the recent rain. The paved trails in Lucy Park do not get muddy from rain.

Due to that recent rain, humidity is high. By the time I was back in an air-conditioned space I was as wet as I would have been had I been walking in a downpour rainstorm.

Sikes Lake Fishing With Grandpa

With the temperature in the 70s, heading to a relatively chilly predicted high of 90, on this second Tuesday of the 2026 version of July, it was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for some much-needed nature communing and its resulting endorphin dose.

The bucolic scene you see in the above photo documentation is from the bridge at the west end of Sikes Lake, looking at a grandpa fishing with his grandkids.

You cannot see it in the photo documentation, but the grandpa is holding up a fish he'd just caught, whilst a lady to his right took photos at the same time I was.