my neighborhood is burning...29,000 acres and counting.

After a 4000 mile round trip to Burbank, California, I was expecting to be posting about all the things I have seen, done and taken pictures of from last weekend, but instead we are on  Red Alert status for wildfire here in Southeastern Montana.  This is not good.  Preferably I like red alert sales at Dillards, not things that are associated with flames that can eat you.  So we watch for new fire in the hills. water what we can. cut down and clean up potential fire fuel. plan escape routes.  pile what we think we want to take with us.  watch the wind and weather. 

and wait.

not fog. smoke. and ash. kinda like a Charles Dickens novel.

We live right in the middle of what they are calling the Diamond Complex fires - 3 miles north of the Little Fork fire, and 9 miles Southwest of the Maverick fire.  Its not a fun place to be right now. Theres things falling out of the sky such as burnt up trees ~ and the smoke comes and goes.  we all smell like a good Wisconsin bratwurst.  Right now my mind goes back and forth between being busy, being slightly fearful and being hungry for a beer & bratwurst.  

its weird.

Bloom creek - the road I take to town, the one you took with me this winter to see Mr. Snowplowman.
So far nothing has jumped the plowed & backfire line, and they think they have this one somewhat contained.
We partially drive our escape routes to make sure we can get through if need be,
and talk to the fire crew on the road when we can.

Here is the website that we refer to when not talking to the guys down on the fire line ~ http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2517/ . 

We are all here right now, theres 6 homesteads and ranches in this township.  

We're hoping the wind cooperates and the weather stays cool.

So will post later - Im just a little busy right now....

~