Colorful Campfire

This fire was at Lake Powell in Southern Utah/Northern Arizona.  All there was to burn on the vast shore line was sand and tumbleweeds.  The kids (the cousins) in this picture got stuck a few times gathering up the tumbleweeds, but they make a tremendous blaze.  For fires on a smaller scale, there are different ways to add color and sparkle.  You can toss a pinch of sugar into the fire for a crazy effect. A bit of flour or powdered creamer will add pizzaz to a campfire program or story.  There are so many ideas that can be found online.  

For adding fun to the fire, check out these links:  

http://guidezone.e-guiding.com/bvfmagic.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trzDg-ZqFM0 
http://www.campfiredude.com/

I love quiet moments around a campfire, listening to the crackle, with the cool air and night sounds at my back.  I love to talk and sing with family and friends and cook something on a stick; a marshmallow, or starburst or even just the stick.  But I am also aware of the destructive power of fire if it is not respected.  

Our neighborhood won't recover for many years from the devastation caused by a wild fire that blew through our little canyon two years ago. Homes were gone in a few minutes and in a few hours 66 homes were destroyed.  Even the cement foundations were cooked into dust.  Metal was melted into puddles.  There were some narrow escapes, but it was a miracle that no one died.  Many animals died.  

The smell was incredible as the trucks loaded with remains drove down the road to dispose of horses, goats, cats and dogs.  I suspect there were wild animals too.  We have many deer that wander through the yard.  Our house was spared due to a change in wind direction.  Others were saved by firefighters.  It was hard to feel happy that our house was still standing when so many neighbors were homeless.  

 So love the fire and always use caution.  

This picture is just one section of the fire. It looks like a burned hillside, but there used to be homes.  Many have been rebuilt now but the hillside is still burned sticks that used to be cedars and junipers.