Greetings nature lovers. Welcome to Nature Friday where we join our hosts and friends, Rosy, Sunny & their brothers for this week’s edition. Nature appears to be pretty upset judging by the numerous wildfires that have popped up around the state. The most concerning one is near Glenwood Springs where my brother and SIL just moved into their newly built home. Known as the Grizzly Creek Fire, it doubled in size overnight and now has consumed nearly 15,000 acres. I-70 has been closed in both directions and it is unknown when it will reopen. The fire began August 10th, is zero contained and some residents have been advised to be prepared to evacuate. The cause of the fire is undetermined but there are some suspicions it may have been human caused. This view was taken of the smoke and flames just south of the Colorado River on August 11, 2020. It gives you an idea of the roughed terrain in the area. That guard rail in the foreground is I-70.
Another larger fire, the Pine Gulch Fire is located 18 miles north of Grand Junction, has now consumed over 70,000 acres as of this morning. Started two weeks ago and attributed to a lightning strike, the Pine Gulch fire is burning in remote, rough terrain of pinyon, juniper, oak, and sagebrush. It is now the 5th largest in the state’s history. Hot, dry and windy conditions have forced three days of red flag air quality warnings with temperatures soaring into the 90s and windy conditions, with gusts up to 27 mph.
The smoke from these fires has reached Denver making for blazing sunrises and sunsets as well as unhealthy air quality alerts. This eery image was taken a couple of evenings ago from the front garden.
The Cameron Peak Fire fire near Chambers Lake, also popped up yesterday afternoon in Larimer County, 18 miles northwest of Fort Collins, and has grown to over 1500 acres in a matter of just four hours. Evacuations have been ordered. Fire season is always challenging in a state with high mountain valleys, canyons and wide open vistas but with the state suffering from a widespread severe and statewide drought, nature has us back on our heels right now.
While Mother Nature can provide us with all manner of beauty, she can get cranky real quick. It’s wise to act consciously whenever your path crosses with nature. Obey campfire bans and for heaven’s sake, please don’t throw your cigarette butts out the window when you’re driving. While we encourage everyone to enjoy Mother Nature, please be careful. And pray for those who are fighting these wildfires and all those who are personally displaced and affected by them. Stay safe.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
The fires were severe in most parts of Australia, followed by a sever drought, followed by minor flooding, followed by our dearly beloved friend COVID 19 and all that entails. This last week alone we have had thunderstorms, freezing (well for us anyway!) temperatures, high gale force wind and driving rain. So, dear Colorado friends, we really do understand. On the bright side, Spring is only 8 days away and for this coming week, we have been promised temperatures with a 2 in the front. WooHoo…
Lucky you on the milder temps! We’ve still got hot temps forecast here for the next 7-10 days but I’m glad you’ll be getting a break. Mother Earth is struggling mightily and I think all her children will suffer for it.
So my East coast bloggers are in a drought, and now it’s dry out west too? I guess I know why we’re getting all the rain now. If the same idiots who blew everything up for the Fourth of July are all out camping now, I’m surprised they haven’t burned the whole state down…
Yup, the entire state is in a severe drought with I-70 remaining closed because of the fire near Glenwood Springs which has grown to over 25,000 acres, while the one near Grand Junction is now over 76,000 acres. The photos coming out of the Glenwood are bone-chilling terrifying. It may well have been started by some bone-headed driver who tossed a cigarette out of their car window. The Grand Junction fire was caused by a lightning strike.
Wow, that is so scary, especially how quickly those fires get out of control. We will be thinking of your brother and family and hope they and their new home stay safe. Thoughts and prayers for everyone out there that is affected by these. ♥
Thanks for the positive wishes. All we can do is hope and pray until the weather cooperates.
Well, I hit like as in “I read this” not that I like what’s happening in CO. 2 summers ago we had the first wildfires that I can remember. Went as far north as Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge. I remember that they came pretty close to us, and the air was practically unbreathable. They were all set by both kids and a fighfighter. Sad
What a meaningful post! Happy weekend!
Except for a drop here and there, we haven’t had any rain for six months.
I know the feeling all too well. 😢
First, I hope your brother and SIL and their new house remain safe. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Mother Earth is really having hissy fits these last few years, isn’t she? Who can blame her? But my heart breaks for all who suffer due to her rage – human and non-human – and I hope she gets over it SOON. But that photo of the sun and evening sky – however eerie – is truly beautiful.
Stay safe out there, my friend! And give Elsa and Norman belly rubs and ear scritches for me. 💞💞💞
Thanks for the good thoughts. Elsa and Norman are most appreciative for the extra attention.
Stay safe and healthy! Sending hugs! ❤️
Holy crap. That is some scary stuff. And how awful is it that there is a “fire season”?
Exactly. And one that grows longer with each passing year.
Which is another horrid thing
Horrid and very depressing.
Very. 😔
Every fire season out there we hold our breath hoping it doesn’t get totally out of control and cause loss of life and homes but of course that “hope” is never the case. Wildlife is threatened in addition to human suffering and it goes on and on. It’s just so SAD.
Hugs, Pam
It truly is out of control. 😢
Do you guys get monsoons there, Monika? We are almost 2 months into our monsoon season here with only 1 week of rain to speak of. ☹️ Blessings to you & yours for safety my friend. 🌞🙏⭐️
We do, but this summer we’d had next to nothing from monsoonal rains which makes the already bad drought that much worse.
😔🙏☔️
Thanks! I may need to learn how to do rain dancing.
😊
May your brother, SIL & those in the mist of these wildfires be safe.
Our thoughts are with all human & non human who have been displaced or worse.
💜gentle nose nudges💜
Thanks, Olivia. We hope for the best for everyone…be they man or beast.
🐾💜🐾
Many thanks for the kind thoughts. 💜
🐾💜🐾
Mee-yow Miss Monika an Norman an Elsa wee bin wurried ’bout youss’ alot! Wee are inn touch with Mani doggie from sumwhere inn Colorado an hee barked to mee that hee an his Guy are 4 hourss away from BOTH firess butt THE sky iss funny an all so smokey like yoress!! Wee purrayin our furry tailss off here fore all of youss’!!!
**purrss** BellaDharma an ((huggiess)) LadyMew too!
Thanks, we continue to hope for the best.
Us too Miss Monika, us too….stay safe pleese……
😻
Sendin <3 <3 an **purrss** to all of youss' there!
Pleese bee carefull an stay safe….
Thanks; we’re keeping our eyes and ears open while staying indoors.
Wee on a TORANDO WATCH here Miss Monika…LadyMew just told mee!!! EEEKKK!!!
NOW she tellss mee….goin to bee UTB soon,,,,,,,
Eek is right! Stay safe.
If Tornado comes wee going inn bathroom or under bed…wee will bee OKay Miss Monika…..mee hopess *gulpss*
Sounds like the best place(s) to be. Stay safe and we’ll keep our paws crossed for you.
Many thanx Miss Monika an Stormin Norman an Elsa….Crazy day today!
A typical Monday?
Nothin tippy-cal today Miss Monika! Nayburr screamin an freekin out an her kid ran away…Police an Ambulance here an lotss of noise an swearin….
Plus today iss ‘angel’ Unkell Dale’ss annie-versary…hee was murdered 35 yeerss ago inn Hammytown (Hamilton) an LadyMew iss all wayss sad on this day. All THE noise an commotion brott it all back to her…
Pleese let it bee Tuesday soon! 😉
No Tornado! A bit of guud mewss!
**purrss** BellaDharma
Hope your heart found a spot of peace yesterday. Sorry about your LadyMew’s brother. Sending digital hugs and puppy kisses to her. 💖
Many thanx Miss Monika…with THE nayburr’ss freekin out an Police here an all sortss of kay-os it was a terribell day fore LadyMew. Shee cuud not even cry shee as so weery of all THE noise an upset. Shee just sat starin at paintin…mee thinkss shee went there inn her mind.
Last nite Ladymew did not meow to anyone & qas furry quiet….wee played toyss even.
Today iss a bit bettur. LadyMew was close to Brothur dale. Hee loved Catss MORe than Doggiess! Mee wuud have liked him alot! 😉
I am so sorry. We are saying prayers for you and everyone else in the path of the firest
Many thanks. Appreciate it.
Oh, we knows abouts those wildfires, and we’ve been seein’ all the ones happenin’ in your state on the teevees ~ so terribles! It’s even worse when it is found out that peeps started it on purpose (or accident, and were careless). Droughts are here to stay here in the West, so we gots to all be careful, and keeps everyone in our thoughts as they battle the fires or are in the line of the fires.
I would say come on overs, butts it’s gonna be 100 F all week! WITH humidity! yikes. (better than no humidity I guess..for the fires)
Keeps safe, and I hopes your SIL and family are safe!
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
I’ll bet you do, Ruby. It’s horrible knowing your state is on fire and you’re helpless to do anything about it.
Awk, 100? Plus humidity? Yikes. I don’t know how to do it? 90’s with single digit humidity is too much for me. 🥵
These wildfires are quite horrible, aren’t they?
They really are. Traffic in the mountains is so backed up-no one can get anywhere (and tourists are being stranded) while supplies, grocery items, mail are being even delayed more. All kinds of problems.
Oh dear, we hope those fires can be brought under control and then extinguished very soon. We especially hope your brother and family will be safe. Keep us posted.
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Thanks, appreciate your kind thoughts. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Many thanks for your kind thoughts. We continue to hoe the fire gets under control soon before too much damage and loss of life occurs.
So sad and scary! Hope all of your family stays safe!
Thanks. We continue to be hopeful their new house stays safe. 🤞🏻
I never look forward to this time of year. It seems the wildfires just keep getting a little worse each fire season that passes….
It does seem that way. Stay safe!
So sad that massive wildfires are a way of life here in the west now. We should always keep fire safety in mind and be prepared to evacuate.
Absolutely. It seems to be getting worse each year. How’s the fire in the LA area?
Last I heard was that it was growing and not yet contained. I dread this time time of year…
Me too. Stay safe.
Yes, you too!
I hope you stay safe, Monika. When I lived in California, fires were always a worry. Have a safe weekend.
Thanks, John. The fire season gets longer each year and worse when there’s a drought. We can only hope for relief 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
So true. You wonder how much a planet can take.
Those fires are terrible, spreading so fast, You got a beautiful photo of sun even though the reason for colours is bad.
Wishing you RAIN!
Hyvää viikonloppua!
Kiitos, Kosmo. No rain forecast for this next week but we can always hope the humidity goes up to help firefighters.
Yep … after a few smaller fires earlier in the summer, it appears fire season in California has arrived with a roar. A couple of blazes are going down near L.A. Just waiting to see when something happens in Northern California. It’s not a question of if, it’s question of when unfortunately.
You’re so right. The fire season seems to be longer and more severe every year. *sigh
Yep. Would love to go through a “normal” fire year again.
Normal in general seems foreign anymore.
Have you ever read The Big Burn? It’s about a 1910 fire that burned through an estimated three million acres in two days in Idaho and Montana
I have not. I don’t know if I could stand the depression resulting from a book like that these days. I mean a pandemic wasn’t enough? Jeez.
I hesitated to mention the book for that very reason. Please ignore. 😉
No worries. I have to ration stuff like this anymore. Apparently I’ve grown into such a wimp. There is so much misery it’s hard to take it all in. Puppies and kittens seem to at least keep me from wanted to slit my wrists. 😊
Hope your brother and SIL are okay, and their house is safe. As you say, always challenging, and even more so in 2020.
Stay healthy.
Thanks, Amy. Yeah, so far they are safe; we just hope it stays that way. This bloody drought is quite vexing. I keep wishing we can just skip 2020 but so far it’s been a no-go. *sigh
Yikes! I know that area so well. Always enjoy a stop at Glenwood Springs as we make the right hand turn to our beloved San Juan mountains. Hope your family stays safe. We also have a tough fire season going on in SoCal. Each year seems to get a bit worse.
Then you know how hard fighting that fire will be. I’m beginning to think fire season is 365 days long anymore.
I hate fire season. We’ve had some horrible years here in California. I’m not looking forward to a fire here. I hope you and yours remain safe. You’re in our thoughts and prayers.
Have a blessed day and weekend. Scritches to the pups. ♥
Many thanks, Sandee. We’re keeping our fingers and paws crossed the family remains safe.
I hope all goes well for your family…you must be so worried. Nature can be pretty unforgiving when abused.
Thanks, Helen. One mustn’t mess with Nature.
Terrible!
It really is. This time of year is always the worst.
humans cause a lot of problems…
In more ways than one.
I always feel badly for the wildlife. Hugs.
Thanks. Yes, wildlife suffers as well as the environment as a whole. It takes years for trees to come back to support their natural habitat.
🙁