It’s not like we planned Mom’s vacation so she could choke down some smoke and ash. The Beaver Creek Fire was started by a dry lightning strike on August 8th, and quickly grew to (as if this morning, August 17th) 64,000 acres and still growing. The winds have been erractic – calm, then gusting to over 30mph. 684 firefighting personnel have provided heroic efforts to save not only lives, but structures. The cities of Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley have been under various orders of pre-evacuation to full on ‘get the hell out now’ status. Everyone’s nerves are frayed, firefighters are exhausted, but the fire of old growth forests weakened by beetle damage has yet to be contained.

Beaver Creek Fire : August 15

Beaver Creek Fire : August 15

Beaver Creek Fire : August 15

Beaver Creek Fire : August 15

Beaver Creek Fire – Aug 16

Beaver Creek Fire – Aug 16

Beaver Creek Fire – Aug 16

Beaver Creek Fire – Aug 16

Beaver Creek Fire – Aug 16

Helicopter Drops

Dropping Retardant 1

Dropping Retardant 1

Retardant Suppressing Flames

Fire Racing Down the Ridge

The Ridge after Water Drops

Helicopter Drops

Helicopter Drops

Sun Darkened by Smoke columns

Beaver Creek Fire : August 16

Big Bombers at Work

Watching

Hailey, ID Fires – 2013

Sunset : Beaver Creek Fire : August 16