COLORADO FIRE

I am taking a small break from this blog since all of my notes, etc were left behind during a very rapid evacuation from my home in Colorado Springs! The wild fire has been and is amazing, massive and very scary. Check out denverpost.com for some great photos of the Waldo Canyon fire.  Many forest fires burn in the countryside.  The west side of Colorado springs was on fire and over 300 homes are gone.  It was very difficult to decide what part of your entire life should be saved in 15 minutes of throwing things in the pickup in a choking smoke and ash fall.  Thus far our home has been spared and the fire line is holding.  I vacated my office leaving behind hundreds of specimens and books with a tear in my eye wondering--do rocks burn?  It was a terrible feeling but at least my spouse, dog and I were able to leave, along with 32,499 other people.  The roads were in gridlock and the city in a panic mode.  The temps that day in Colorado Springs were the highest In recorded history and the humidity was 2%!  Now that is dry. Will return as soon as I can:) Mike