Elk Fire Update
The Elk Fire five miles north of Lake City woke up August 4th after few dry days of high heat, plus a red flag warning helped grow the fire. It crossed Independence Gulch, and came over the ridge to become a lot more visible than it has been previously. Grew 600 acres.
Thankfully, the winds weren’t too bad on August 5th and the fire was less active than the 4th. Mostly winds blew to the northeast, keeping the fire/smoke moving away from town. Let’s hope for less winds today. Rain isn’t forecasted for a few more days, but we can hope! Otherwise, this is nature doing nature. Most everything that is burning is dead timber and this is nature’s destructive way of healing. It’s just very inconvenient and scary for us considering where the fire is.
Fortunately if it moves closer to town, it becomes thick healthy aspen groves. Some of my favorites for how perfect they are. Aspens are a natural firebreak as they hold tons of water, unlike the dry dead pine/spruce which burn, smolder, and produce smoke for days. I watched the fire move towards several groves and its progress was halted. For this reason, along with the vastly increased number of firefighters and resources, I’m not too concerned, feel no reason to panic, but will always respect nature and its power.
August 6th. The weather did not cooperate, and the fire grew 2,000 acres today to just over 5,000 acres. That said, the firefighters were/are expecting this. The weather is going to continue to be challenging, but it’s not so bad the aircraft can’t be fighting it, and it’s good to see the stream of firefighters coming in on the highway, and watching for spot fires. The fire still has room to grow, and it likely will.
August 7th- The weather was a lot better today than the previous days and the fire grew around 400 acres. Unfortunately the San Juan Springs subdivision was placed under an evacuation order, and the rest of Lake City is now in a "Yellow, Get Ready" order. I remain concerned, but not too worried, and absolutely not panicked. Fire growth is to be expected with this weather, but the fire also has lots of room to do that before it reaches any houses. Thankfully lots of extra firefighters have arrived and are busy doing structure protection and preparing if the fire moves closer. 5600 acres is a very small area, when looking at the wilderness north of Lake City.
Follow the Elk Fire Facebook page for information, and download the Watch Duty app for notifications.
Photos Taken August 4th-7th
Photos were all taken outside of Lake City, with a telephoto lens. Remember I'm a nature photographer and strive to show nature at its most beautiful self. This also comes in the form of drama, as in please don't let these photos give you anxiety. I have watched the fire for almost three days straight now, and most of the time it hasn't done all that much. The photos of flames were all taken during brief flare ups, that disappeared as quickly as they came.
The Milky Way rises over the glowing Elk Fire and Lake Fork River
Flames on the far mountainside above the outskirts of Lake City. Though it looks very close its still 2-3 miles from the houses, with lots of steep terrain in-between,
A Super Scooper Air Tanker making drops over the fire
Night Flames
Night Flames in the Morning
Spot Fire Starts
Spot Fire at Night
Spot Fire in the Morning
Flare Up
Smoke Plume from the Elk Fire over the Lake Fork River
Fire on the Mountainside
Smoky Trees, as the fire rips through the forest
Smoke and the Lake Fork River
Helicopters work dropping water on the fire
Flare Up
Heavy Smoke
Firefighters from Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
Flames at Twilight
Smoke at Sunset in the Lake Fork Valley
Sunset Smoke Plume
Firefighters work in heavy smoke
In the Smoke
The distant faint glow from the fire several miles away seen from Silver Street.
August 7th- When I arrived the wind was blowing hard. I expected another very active fire day, but thankfully the winds died soon after, and fire growth wasn't too bad.
Holding the Ridge. The fire flared up as the winds were furious.
Firefighters watch the inferno grow driven by wind
Smoke rises as the fire advances
Firefighters hold the ridge as the fire advances.
After the winds died down, the forest that's been burning for the past two days became visible.
The charred forest
Heavy Smoke settles in the valley as the wind calms
A Blackhawk helicopter making water drops
Wind Driven Flames
Five minutes, after the flames had receded.
Sunset and Mountaintop flames
The Fire burns and smolders at twilight
Hope for less wind and some rain! We and the entire West desperately need it!