A few evenings ago I drove about a mile from my house onto Wood Hill to watch the sunset. With the Wood Hollow fire in Sanpete County to the west I assumed it would be colorful, and I wasn’t disappointed. Yesterday evening, however, there was a large smoke plume from the Seeley fire on the western horizon that obscured the sun for about an hour before sunset. When the sun disappeared behind the smoke cloud, everything outside was lit up in a brilliant neon red color. I hurried to finish my dinner and then drove back up to my spot on Wood Hill. For about an hour and a half I sat and enjoyed the show, in awe at both the beauty and destruction.
Today, the towns of Hiawatha, Clear Creek, and Scofield (and supposedly Wattis, but does anyone really live there?) have been evacuated due to the Seeley fire, while at the same time residents of Fairview are able to return home as the danger from the Wood Hollow fire subsides. I’d planned a family camping trip to the Miller Flat area for this weekend, but it’s clear that’s not going to happen now. Since I no longer need to get ready for the camping trip, I may just take another ride to Wood Hill this evening and watch Mother Nature’s show.
Photo Gallery: Sunset – June 24, 2012
Photo Gallery: Smoke from the Seely Fire – June 26, 2012