Many of us are wondering what in the world was going on with all those raging fires
sweeping across the US and particulary the Western States.
Some examples of wildfires just since May 2002:
In Florida we read of fire forces highway near Disney World to close Recently we are amazed by Oregon's largest wildfire in over a century. Or the great fire in the Sequoia National Forest in July . Or the Colorado Wildfires in June 2002 Or the Arizona blaze in SHOW LOW burning 130,000 acres.
Are these natural conflagrations portents of some Biblical Prophecy?

As we take a closer look, we learn that many of these wildfires have been set by human hands.
Probably the most notorious fire starter this summer is is Terry Barton of the U.S. Forest Service .
Terry was burning letters from her estranged husband in anger.
She was at an abandoned campfire site and should have known better!
The huge Arizona fire is another incident caused by human disregard.
Leonard Gregg a Bureau of Indian Affairs fire fighter was motivated by personal profit.
The final and third example of a self-motivated fire starter is Ms. Peri Dare Van Brunt
This Sequoia fire suspect who was recently arraigned in California,
started the fire in an area where a permit was required while allegedly stalking her estranged husband!

All of the preceding fies were aggravated by hot temperatures and drought like conditions
This ongoing drought has gotten so bad that half to the US is suffering
On the other end of the spectrum an unexpected weather phenomenon
began in Europe around Aug. 13th - Powerful Floods.
Daily we hear of the worst floods in over a century that have driven tens of thousands from their homes across eastern Germany.
Also in Asia monsoons have forced millions from their homes in the last two months.
Are these natural disasters of epoch proportions unrelated?

If we look back a few months, we notice the intensity of fires, drought and floods has been increasing since May of this year.
One potential explanation of these myriad disasters involves the Mythical Goddess
CERES as known in Roman mythology.
The fact sheet says that Ceres is the largest asteroid with a diameter of about 1000 km.
Ceres was the first discovered asteroid - recorded by G. Piazzi on January 1, 1801.
Roman myths says that Ceres is known as The Mother Goddess of Agriculture .
On May 14, 2002, Ceres entered the the warrior sign of Aries .
In Aries Ceres is Much more aggressive. She is now in an active, cardinal sign
as opposed to Pisces her former home.
Pisces is more emotional and changeable – a mutable sign.
Ceres is the Great Mother of the solar system, usually a true symbol of nurturance and caring.
And before May, 14th in Pisces Ceres was more apt to engender maternal giving and unconditional love.
Be aware that Ceres has a prolonged stay of 10 months in Aries due to a retrograde cycle which began on Aug. 13th.
Now that Ceres is in the Me First sign of Aries, we are beginning to realize
that giving and giving causes the well to run dry and we can even get a drought.
Emphasizing the hot and dry conditons are the fact that
both Sun and Mars have been in close orb in a fire sign Leo for most of the month

Ceres was also known as Demeter in Greek Mythology.
Demeter was the mythological mother who worried incessantly about her daughter Persephone, held prisoner in the underworld by Hades (Pluto).
Finally Ceres decreed that winter befall the world during the annual months when Persephone resides in the underworld.
Some of the symbols that accompany Demeter are the sceptre, the torch and the grain corn.
Well in Aries it looks like the torch is blazing and a widespread drought has effected the corn crop.

It has been said that Astrological Ceres represents how we love and how we need to be loved.
Normally Ceres is a peaceful goddess. She has been described by words like:
Unconditional love, nurturing, self-esteem; working through issues of loss and grief;
themes of transformation (death & rebirth); issues with motherhood, death and blood mysteries.
Ceres usually promotes stability to produce good harvests.
Now in Aries she could be terribly upset about how earth is being mistreated.
She is fighting back by striking out in anger, making the land—and seas—unproductive.
In fact on Aug. 13th, Ceres turned retrograde at 19 Aries. Not only do we have Ceres in a retro-review time, but she is now trining Mars in Leo.
Mars is the warrior ruler of Aries and Now we really have danger of horrific fires.
We must be aware that this danger will be from all forms of fire, explosions, guns and weapons of terrible destruction.

Let's take a closer look at Cardinal Signs particularly Aries. Here is an exert from an article by John M. Whalen Distortions of our true nature through anger are indicated in the horoscope by the cardinal signs.
The self-assertion of Aries, the first cardinal sign, is necessary for survival and holding our own in the world,
but when it turns into blind anger at others, Aries can cause much suffering.
Also in mid-May when Ceres changed signs, the Resources Committee of the House held hearings on Chronic Wasting Disease (also known as Mad Cow disease)
This disease is raging through the deer and elk populations of central and western United States—apparently due to conditions spawned by game farms.
In Wisconsin, hunters are now given carte blanch to shoot deer, simply to help get rid of them.
On November 23rd Aries will go direct and remember in Aries,
the sign of the warrior, Ceres nurtures the military.
By this Fall we may have the long awaited invasion of Iraq with military spending at an all time high.