The forecast for Southern California reminded me that sometimes you really can’t prevent forest fires!
This photograph was taken by a Montana firefighter while they were battling blazes started by lightning strikes. With thunderstorms forecasted for California, already dealing with fires, the prospect of lightning can be even more frightening.
This one I just had to add! Dave of ThirdWaveDave sent it to me earlier and I believe it may be from the same fires that the lightning bolt picture came from. I don’t know the photographer of the lightning picture, but here is the history of this photo:
This image was captured late in the afternoon of Sunday August 6th, 2000 from a bridge over the East Fork of the Bitterroot River just north of Sula, Montana by a fire behavior analyst by the name of John McColgan.
These elk sought refuge in the river bottom during what may have been the most extreme day of fire behavior on the Bitterroot in more than 70 years. The image was taken on a digital camera and as such there are no photographic negatives. The image may be freely downloaded at this address: http://fire.ak.blm.gov/
Since John was working while he took the picture, he cannot sell or profit from it, so he should at least be recognized as the photographer of this once-in-a-lifetime shot.
Thank you so much Dave!!
That is truly an amazing shot!
It really is, jgf! Usually you only get a branch or two, but this firefighter caught the “whole tree”!
I just reread your email. Of course you can, that’s why I sent it to you.
What a gorgeous picture!
Thanks for sharing it, Anna!
This bolt is an incredible shot! So beautiful, resembling the delicate veins of a maple leaf.
Yes, we in So CAL had unbelievable thunder & lightning, last night — woke my husband & me up about 1:30 AM. It was so close! The sound was deafening & the light illuminated our entire upstairs. We even had some hail, which is NOT the kind of thing we get here very often. But we both just LOVED it! I kept thinking, “the mightiness of God makes me feel like such a peon.”
Anyway, haven’t heard any news of last night’s “show” adding to the already-burning fires here (mostly in our desert areas.) There was a report of a small lightning-induced brush fire near Lake Arrowhead — but it was quickly put out, thank goodness.
Wow..thats a stunning pic Anna…wow.
Thank you TWD!
It’s definitely one of God’s wonders, jimmyb!
That’s how I am about thunderstorms, Trish! I love the sight and sound of it. I didn’t like it growing up in SoCal because it usually did mean fires, but now, I love it!
My Dad is in central Washington and they have large areas where environmentalists bought up the land and won’t allow logging or the forest service in, so now many of the trees there are infested and dying, the ground cover is dry and thick and he is just waiting for a major fire there because there’s plenty of fuel.
I agree completely, Angel!
In his best Beavis voice “FIRE FIRE FIRE”
bless you that second picture just made my little pyro heart go all a flutter 
You know most of the world problems that cannot be solved by drinking beer can be solved with fire lol
Not only the fire aspect, but just think if you had been there with your guns, Chris!
You’d have a trophy, too!
Those photos are amazing.
I thought so too, Word!
Awesome photos! The only time I like lightning is in photos.
Thank you! I used to be the same way, Linda, but they don’t bother me anymore!
Anna,
Both photos are gorgeous. Actually, they’re suitable for framing!
Praise God in His wonder!
Andrea
No doubt about it, Andrea! And quite a show today! (I suppose that would be an understatement!)
It was a pretty wild ride! So glad you were there for it! Thanks for dropping in.
Andrea
It was crazy, Andrea! Why is it the theorists (like liberals) are so angry all the time?! Take a breath for Pete’s sake, people!
[...] If you want to see incredibly beauty in the midst of Nature’s chaos, you must visit this link for photographs taken in some of the Western wildfires. They’re just breathtaking. [...]
Thanks for the link, Book!
I’ve had that ‘Elk at the River Bottom’ photo as one of my wallpaper choices for a few years. Beautiful image. The firestarter is stunning, too!
Nice choices, Anna!
Back when I had Win ’95 on a small slow computer, I came across an application online called ‘Paper’. It’s task was to change the wallpaper, either randomly or in a set order, at predetermined times. It was the neatest thing!
I’ve installed it on each computer since, and it wokrs great even now, on my Win XP machine. If you’re interested, take a look at http://krapplets.org/paper.shtml
Other little programs there, too.
More images, Ma’am, please!
benning, I love the photos, too. Dad just sent me one that my stepmother had taken of a double rainbow through a gray sky (pretty cool).
I keep a fairly boring wallpaper, just to keep the speed up and to have less things running (because I will often have 4 or 5 programs running at the same time)!
I will see what else I can come up with for you!