Where there's smoke, there's fire

Fire seen from Jerusalem Rocks, Montana

Another view of the fire 

It's harvest time in northwestern Montana.  Things are dry, as usual, but this brings more fire danger.  Sometimes combines hit a rock which creates a spark, or barley chaff gets hot and ignites, or someone throws a cigarette out a window....Today, winds were gusting to 65 mph, but were fairly steady at 50 mph.  I went out to take some photos and had to lean into the wind just to stay upright.

 Fires have been burning here for quite some time further south, but today, this one started north of my parents....it looked like it was close, but in reality, it is about 40 miles away.   When we drove through Missoula on Saturday, it was pretty smokey.  Ever since I got here, it smells like someone burned toast outside....I can't imagine what the particulate matter is, but I can tell you I have been coughing....I just hope that it isn't more trouble for me.....and that people don't lose their harvest (sometimes these break out in combined fields....sometimes not) or their property.  I'm told that this one doesn't seem to be near any houses...but combines sometimes burn in the fields....scary.