So.....yeah..Fire?

So, Monday I was up here...

In Telluride, Colorado, about 70 miles away from my home. A friend who has a house up there, invited me up to just hang. So took my work and really didn't do much of it, instead just hung out looking at the amazing San Miguel mountains and breathed in the air at like 8500 ft.

It was a glorious day, until Jon called, " Sooo...just in theory, but what do you want me to take out of the house, incase we have to evacuate because of the fire?"

me- "Fire?"

Jon- "It a small fire at the bottom of the canyon, at least a fourth of a mile away."

Me- " ahhhhhhhhhh? Fire?"

Jon- "They have a bomber ( i.e. a big belly plane that drops chemicals on the fire) circling in the air but haven't used it yet. And the foam truck ( which they can encase an entire house with if need be) just went down the road....I'm sure it is fine, but what do you want me to take if they evacuate us?"

Me- " ahhhh the kid's pictures and my artwork"

Which I realized was all in the same place, in the far corner of my studio- the farthest room from any exit out of the house- that is smart.

Jon- " ok, got to go soak the tree break with the irrigation water"

Apparently all the neighbor were turning their water on towards  the rim of the canyon- we are on top at the start of a flat mesa.

I get off the phone, and wander down towards the coffee shop, should I race home? Then I remember one more thing that would be heartbreaking to lose in a fire, so I call back.

Me- "the quilts"

We have two of Jon's granmothers quilts, circa 1920s, hand stitched.

Me-" the rugs"

And we have several Navajo rugs circa 1960 and 70s from his parents buying days traveling the Southwest to supply their Western Tac store in Chicago .

Jon- "okay- it looks like they are getting it under control, probably fine now."

Me- "Okay?"

By the time I get home, the fire is out, it rains the next night and with the windows open the house stinks, fire smell is on of those smells that stays with you.

So yesterday I walk down the canyon with the dog and take pics of the damage.

This was an apple tree.

So walking back up the canyon, I see a growing column of smoke coming from a pile of brush the firefighters had piled up, and poof, it burst into flames while I watched, so yeah, called 911 and a crew came out and took care of the hot spot. Fire Season is just starting around here....yeah!