It has now grown from a couple hundred acres seen here to somewhere around 2000 plus. Fire is a little over a day old when these were taken. I figure my spot, Grouse Mt area ... is about 15 miles east of fire.
Details http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3088/
1 The flare up here looks to be several acres at least. Simply a huge blowout. There were several others over the time I took images. About 3 hrs taking pics.


2


3


Like so many places this is bear country and all kinds of other wildlife. So sweet to see these critters and try for some photos. For a possible bear encounter its not a bad idea to carry some kind of protection just in case. My choice a .357 as a last resort In my last shots I was taking pics up to 5+ mins long. The moon coming up behind me on these last shots of mine... but it was still dark as can be on the steep and heavy brush down slope directly in front of my camera. I was using a week kneed low btry flashlight to work the camera. Good for about 3' of illumination. Practically zero right.
With cable release in hand, my mind comfortably wandering over this and that watching the minutes go by, a crashing in the very near brush front and below me coming directly my way instantly grabs my attention. Like "Holy Cow" what to do. Possible solutions raced by in milliseconds. I tried week kneed flashlight quick. Dang no luck there. Can't bring out my handgun... can't defend against what I can't see for what it may be. Bloody hell... what ever it is has practically arrived to ring my doorbell.
The thought of leaping into the bed of my truck hasn't arrived yet but soon will after the fact. Suddenly and unexpectedly I yell out very loudly "HEY!"... whatever then stopped. It goes quiet. Cool I yell out again and again the same thing for good measure as this solution seems to be working. There is crashing again through the brush and limbs and its sound is receding back down the mountain side. Releaved and with heart pounding I figure I better get while the getting is good Scared the daylights out of me and never really did see, for certain, just what it was. Am thinking deer or elk likely simply to ease my mind. Just before I get into fire up the truck to dash off an owl cruises by and coyotes start howling just up the road. Or was it they were laughing their collective butts off at me

Wow .. these are spectacular #2 being my favorite.

Were any of these out of your last photos taken up to 5 min. long? I'd sure like to see one of those

Your darn lucky .. one never knows what might walk up upon ya at night. Glad you made it out safely.

The first two are terrific, Michael.

So sad about the fires - but your shots are beautiful and nicely over-saturated.
Smoke-filled skies are kind of like rust in that way.

BTW - It's obvious to me that you had a close encounter of the Bigfoot kind.

Originally Posted by Dogdots Wow .. these are spectacular #2 being my favorite. Were any of these out of your last photos taken up to 5 min. long? I'd sure like to see one of those Your darn lucky .. one never knows what might walk up upon ya at night. Glad you made it out safely.

Thank you very much Mary Kim. Sweet of you Haven't had a chance to review the longer exposures much or I would show you one providing there was anything to emm. Yes, one can not be too careful in the woods in any way shape or form. Easy to feel at ease if your not familiar or unknowingly unprepared for the simplest of things. I am having many "adventures" from being over that ways Today we had to pull out, early this morning, along with a bunch of other folks that could move out in such a way. The permanent residents are on high alert now with their homes and possessions in dire risk of total loss. Fire there is now 68,000 large and growing steadily. 3% contained. Idaho in general has over 35 active fires now. No rain in sight it seems. At least for us here abouts.

Originally Posted by Cornflake The first two are terrific, Michael.

Appreciate your commenting Don. Thank you! Pleased you like those 2 images. I hope to put a better finish on image 2 if I can manage it. My system has had a good going over by a tech that doesn't do screen calibrations and such so its hard to trust whats a good final or not.

Originally Posted by Earache So sad about the fires - but your shots are beautiful and nicely over-saturated. Smoke-filled skies are kind of like rust in that way. BTW - It's obvious to me that you had a close encounter of the Bigfoot kind.

Thank you for commenting Eric and especially for noting the saturation push came off good enough as to pass for what its is. Tough thing to know where abouts one should draw the line on any given image. Save for rust and some others as you mention. There the playing field is open all night to any game ya wanna play

Sad about the fires, but glad you're safe. They look a bit over-saturated for my tastes (#2 & #3), but I wasn't there. Nice series regardless!

Originally Posted by Hikin' Mike Sad about the fires, but glad you're safe. They look a bit over-saturated for my tastes (#2 & #3), but I wasn't there. Nice series regardless!

Appreciate your commenting Mike. Thank you for that. Would have been nice to have a fellow photographer there Someone with good enough sense to jump in the truck and ask questions later.
Agreed, it is sad about all these fires throughout the states that have them or had them so far this year. Idaho has been blessed with just under 40 active events at this moment. We are in an emergency.

I was mentioning to Eric that it is often a tough call as to where to draw the "more correct" line in the sand when it comes to enhancement pushes. Sometimes neutral values or as shot tells the story best or one selects other corrections aiming for pop and/or higher visual impact going either way. I choose pushing these from the deadpans they were to beyond their natural appearance hoping I would net visual impact in a tasteful range. I sometimes get a little ahead of my aiming point and usually its intentional as it is with these. Especially image 3 which I took as far as the pixels would allow and my personal tastes gave it a pass but not with poor performance hazard warning. Hate it when I get that call

Originally Posted by DaddyO Appreciate your commenting Mike. Thank you for that. Would have been nice to have a fellow photographer there Someone with good enough sense to jump in the truck and ask questions later. Agreed, it is sad about all these fires throughout the states that have them or had them so far this year. Idaho has been blessed with just under 40 active events at this moment. We are in an emergency. I was mentioning to Eric that it is often a tough call as to where to draw the "more correct" line in the sand when it comes to enhancement pushes. Sometimes neutral values or as shot tells the story best or one selects other corrections aiming for pop and/or higher visual impact going either way. I choose pushing these from the deadpans they were to beyond their natural appearance hoping I would net visual impact in a tasteful range. I sometimes get a little ahead of my aiming point and usually its intentional as it is with these. Especially image 3 which I took as far as the pixels would allow and my personal tastes gave it a pass but not with poor performance hazard warning. Hate it when I get that call

I could have. Years ago my wife and I thought about moving to Boise.

Beautiful photos, Michael and good documentary. Glad you survived the grizzly encounter. Hey, may as well be a grizzly. Who's to say otherwise. Right?

Originally Posted by Hikin' Mike I could have. Years ago my wife and I thought about moving to Boise.

And it would have been welcomed. California is a beautiful state for as much as I have been treated with. Some day we may yet see more of its richness that would be tough to leave.

Originally Posted by kdog Beautiful photos, Michael and good documentary. Glad you survived the grizzly encounter. Hey, may as well be a grizzly. Who's to say otherwise. Right?

If only I could spin a yarn Tall tales wrong state. Not my bailiwick Randy might have a handle on that though, but his bear encounters are clearly and neatly established this time. Can't trump evidence. Dang it.

Pleased for your comment Joel. Thank you very much
Have to say I was both surprised and pleased no one was in disfavor that I split the sun vertical just so in image 2 and completely left in composition. Kind of a visual oddity and I expected to get gigged. Guess I way over thought it. Horizontal everyday but vertical I can't find another example of. I must be asking the wrong question.