Flash with a smoky background, looking close to straight south from Spring Creek Basin to the southern ridges of Disappointment Valley.
The Ferris Fire merged with the Far Draw Fire on Sunday morning … and by Sunday evening, the nearby Doe Canyon Fire had merged with the others, so now it’s all one big fire (being called, collectively, the Ferris Fire), and it was at almost 14,500 acres by last night. Awful south/southwest/southeast (yep; it keeps switching) winds are driving this fire and probably every other fire at least in western Colorado and eastern Utah right now.
The fire(s) and smoke continue to move in a northeasterly direction, and mid-lower Disappointment Valley and Spring Creek Basin actually are not nearly as smoky as upper Disappointment Valley.
The mustangs are OK. Really, they’re pretty unphased, as far as I can tell. I spent time last evening with Flash’s band, and I saw several other bands going about their business of grazing and moving to and away from water sources.
The Gold Mountain Fire also started Saturday in Ouray County, near the town of Ouray, and a stretch of U.S. Highway 550 is closed in that area. Friends we visited in Ridgway on Saturday could see flames from that fire from their respective homes after we left.
Tragically, three firefighters died and two more are hospitalized from injuries suffered fighting the Snyder Mesa Fire on the Utah-Colorado border almost directly west of Grand Junction. Heartbreaking.
The smoke isn’t really discernible in this pic post-sunset (hard to tell as the sun sank again into a smokebank), but that rising moon, nearly full, is red through a layer of smoke. Noooooootttt the moonrise pic I had pictured for this month.
The mustangs are OK, and we’re watching the progress of the fires and keeping an eye on that smoke. Firefighters should make some progress when the horriblebadawful wind dies down. Think safety for all involved.
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
I’m praying for everyone in the fires path human and animal. And for the families of the fire fighters who lost their lives. So tragic.
The three firefighters who died have been identified. So young. I’ll link to an article about that in tomorrow’s post. Prayers for their families and a strong community to support them … and for all the others fighting the fires on the front lines.
The fire news is all bad, but those firefighters killed and injured is another level; it hurts our hearts. There is always so much loss in our yearly conflagrations but loss of life is the most heartbreaking. Prayers for their families. I’m amazed how our precious mustangs just keep on keeping on even when conditions are awful. Flash is a vision – like a super- hero emerging from the smoke of destruction. “Horriblebadawful” wind. Yes. Tired of it.
So true – “another level” of bad news. Devastating, especially for their colleagues and families. Love your image of Flash as a super hero. I’m pretty sure that if you asked him, he’d have that exact vision of himself!
We never give firefighters, police, or emergency workers enough credit for putting their lives on the line for us! Praying the fires are controlled, and some very much needed rain comes soon!
That’s true. I’ve met a number of Forest Service and BLM firefighters, and they are all ages and from all walks of life. They are dedicated and strong. Looks like we have another two weeks before more rain chances appear in our forecasts (that from BLM range tech Laura today). … Meanwhile, putting our faith in those on the lines.
So sorry for those firefighters and their family/community. And they sure do deserve more credit than they get. They put their lives on the line every time.
They are all amazing, highly trained and skilled folks, and I’m glad to know the ones I do.
So sorry for the firefighters and our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends at this difficult time 💜🙏
I hope their respective communities rally around those families. It must be absolutely terrible.