June 7, 2013 - The First Large Range Fire of the Season

The cloud you see in the photos above is from the first large range fire of the year in our area.  That's all smoke - there are no clouds.  The fire is about 100 miles from our house, and has been responsible for several evacuations in the immediate vicinity.  We haven't heard of any homes being destroyed - just evacuated.  But it's difficult to get up-to-date information...even the fire site I visited had been last updated just before this fire broke out.

So, prayers for those who may be affected, and for the crews who are on fire duty.  (My son is a fire fighter - but hasn't yet been called to assist with this one.)

So where is the beauty?  Well...look at the photos again.  The sun lights up that smoke cloud in a way that can only be called beautiful, even if it is happening in a way we never wish it to.  Our range fires are something to behold - and we always pray we have few opportunities to see them.  The devastation is incredible, and we have so little native range land left untouched.

I remember flying home one year after school, after a terrible fire had gone through thousands of acres.  We flew right over the affected area.  It took my breath away.  All the sage, the rabbitbrush, the bitterbrush - gone.  The feed for the elk - gone.  It takes years to grow back, and often we have more fires before the area has an opportunity to regenerate.

So, this evening, prayers again for those affected, for those fighting the fire, and for our fragile habitat.