We are still smoky and struggling with the High Park Fire. This wildfire started Saturday and spread rapidly, driven by beetle kill tree fueled lands, and strong strong winds. We were in Nebraska last weekend, but I sign up for County emergency notifications. So we knew that a wildfire had started on Saturday. What we didn't realise was quite how huge it grew until we headed back to Colorado on Sunday. We could see the plume from Nebraska, and ended up driving south down I-25 towards Fort Collins, and under this enormous plume.

Here are some photos that I took from the car as we approached Fort Collins. It is truly an incredible site.

This is the view heading east away from the fire. You can see the plume stretching across I-25.

View through the front wind shield. Kevin is driving.

Closer...

And closer...

Until we were driving in a world where the plume blocked out the sun.

When we got home, the sun was setting, lighting the plume with an amazing glow.

Fort Collins is still impacted from this. There are many people who have lost their homes, or have been forced to evacuate and wait to get the green light to return to their neighborhoods. Firefighters have been battling to contain this fire since it began on Saturday (caused by lighting). They are fighting against mother nature, rough terrain, and beetle kill infested forests that add to fuel to the fire. Shifting unpredictable strong winds make this even more challenging.

Each day we hear of the heroic actions of fire fighters. We hear of incredible stories where against all odds homes have been saved.

Our thoughts and prayers to those that have lost everything.

For more info about the fire... go to Larimer County Emergency Info