Riding from the Ashes

The Olde Stage fire has been out for a week (helped by the surprise six inches of snow on Monday). Our bike ride this morning went up that way, the first time I'd gotten to see the results.

The charred grass goes on for a few miles along U.S. 36 north of town. You can still smell it. You can see where it was stopped right at the houses. (Amazing!)

One thing that is very clear is that the wind was blowing strong and the fire burned fast. The brown grass is now black but the rest of the vegetation seems to have come through pretty well. You can tell which way the wind was blowing that day by which side of the trees and yucca plants are singed.

I predict that in a few months this area won't even look like it burned.

Last time I reported about a local fire, I had been in the area where it started just minutes earlier. In case you are wondering, I was nowhere near where this one started.