September 9, 2014
One evening, Chris and I drove up Glacier Point Drive in Yosemite National Park to view the Meadow Fire. Our eyes adjusted to the diffused light as we walked out to Washburn Point.
A glowing fire line appeared after sunset in the forest below as the dusk sky darkened. Smoke bathed the area. From the point, we could see how widespread the fire was. Chris said it is a rookie mistake when coming to a fire at nighttime, they always look worse than what they are. However, the fire was burning at 4,000 acres and was only 5% contained. (At the writing of this post it burned over 4,700 acres and was 85% contained.) The smoky air was chilly. Above us, the wide-open sky was filled with stars. A bright full moon lit the way over the rocks and up the steps as we walked back to the car ending our evening escapade.
Hiking Yosemite and Beyond 
I clicked ‘like’, but of course there is little to like about the Meadow Fire. I appreciate Chris’s comment about how fires always look far worse at night. When our ‘Tea Fire’ was rampaging, I went out after dark and made several sketches, then dashed in to the studio to paint the colors and shapes of the burning. A strange threatening beauty.
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I like how you described it, “a strange threatening beauty.” I agree. And as long as it’s not threatening people or structures (like the Tea Fire), it’s good rejuvenation for the forest.
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A hauntingly beautiful night…
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Where else can we go?
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My son and his wife just got back from hiking in Yosemite. There’s a message on the answering machine: they have lots of stories to tell us. Will be interested to see what they are!
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Great pic! Sad to see the fire, looks like a big one. Oh how I miss Yosemite (I used to live in the Sierras which is on the other side). Thanks for sharing
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Thanks for stopping by. There have been lots of fires in Yosemite this year, unfortunately.
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You are welcome.. Yes, it seemed to be a bad fire season this year. 😦
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Reblogged this on Travels with Mary and commented:
Fabulous pic!
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Thank you. 🙂
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🙂
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It’s so sad about the fires, and it’s wonderful to hear that they are now pretty much contained. That said, the evening escapade sounds like fun, and the pictures are hauntingly beautiful.
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🙂 Thank you, Sheryl.
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