Burning Out...

It's hard to believe it's been a week of fire watch for us.  It's been fascinating to see it change, but probably most people are already forgetting about it.  As of yesterday it was 80% contained and beginning to burn itself out in spots.  There has generally been significantly less smoke, and we've had more humid weather and even some rain.  But I still drive by the camp back and forth each day and see the helicopters and tents and trucks, so I know they haven't gone home.  God protect our firefighters...

A week of progression...

Friday, June 14th - stopped north of Rayado to take a few pictures of the smoke and fire moving northward.  The helicopter is only a speck in this photo size.

Back home on Friday, the fire has noticeably spread.  

Another Friday shot of the plane that circled the fire all night long on Friday.  I was awake from 2 - 6 am, listening to that plane circle.

Saturday night, June 15th - the winds have changed directions.

It was a horribly smoky night in our neighborhood in the evening - battling the heat with open windows meant our eyes and throats were burning.

Sunday, June 16th - so little smoke in the morning, you might not have know it was there.  It kicked up in the afternoon with the wind. 

Monday, June 17th - that isn't a smudge on the screen, but a tuft of dark smoke above the horizon.

Wednesday, June 19th - Thomas and I drove home from a dinner out for our anniversary.  Ordinarily the mesas are visible from over 40 miles away, but we had to get home before I could make them out.  The mountains to our west, however, never came into view.  Our county had red flag (dry winds - fire danger), tornado, and thunderstorm warning throughout the afternoon and evening - the sky was filled with smoke and dust.