Just when you think it can't happen again...........it does. Big lightning storm yesterday without any rain and a bolt hit on the mountainside just across from us. Instantly everyone on our street was outside and wham, bam, thank you mam, the whole side of the mountain is lit up like 10,000 Tiki Torches.

It's directly across from us and the Bitterroot River is between the fire and us, but they are evacuating the East View housing subdivision right now. Neighbor Chuck and I are going to set up a Bratwurst and Beer stand on the street and try and make some money from this.

Right now the wind is in our favor, but it it shifts to the East like they are predicting later today........we're going to be out of here again. The river will help some, but with crown torching and the wind blowing it would take a huge clear area to keep embers from blowing our way.

A young couple down the block was watching and they said, "We moved here from Ohio for this????"

I replied, "Hey, this is our summer and fall entertainment package. Plus you don't have to pay Dish or DirectTV for the added channels.....the air show of retardant tankers flying 500 feet above your head.

So....without further ado, I'm going back to watch.

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best of luck to your neighborhood.
use Johnsonville they are the best.

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About two dozen are on the grill now. By 4pm our time we should have quite a crowd here. Chuck has the Leinenkugels on ice and we're set to go. The air show is amazing. I don't know how they keep that many planes and helicopters from smacking into each other. We just counted 15 aircraft in the air at one time.....4 retardant tankers, 4 SkyCrane helicopters....3 Hueys with water buckets, and 4 spotter planes flying up above all this.

But, we're good so far.

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It's nature's cleansing Bob. Hope you stay safe. I've got a buddy that lives out that way and he's a professional outfitter. Lucky fvckr gets to go fishing and hunting for a living. I have some fresh honey if you have the preserves.

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We're good so far. It rained some last night which helped and it seems to be settling down. Not much activity fire-wise now, just creeping along in the grass and duff.

Dakota...I'll check with my friends and see if they have any jam from this year's pick of the Huckleberries.

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Damn GL there Bob; wish I could send some rain from london to you guys - our summer is over and well have constant rain for 6 months ...

damn even thinking about those bratwurst makes me hungrey - they dont have em really here ... went to berlin err 4 months ago and had the real deal with some nice sauerkraut hmmm.

Hope it works out for you there

What? With the EEC, EC and now the EU you can't get a decent brat in London? Should have gone with the Euro mate. Their stiffing you big time.

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good golly miss molly montanabob...i'll be praying for you, your wife, & those crazy squirrels too.
take care & let us know you're alright!

We're fine. The fire kind of petered out after three days when it came to a bulldozed road horizontally cut across the mountainside. Then we got some rain. Now we look at a 3000 acre burned spot on the hillside directly across from us. But next spring it will be green again and the mushrooms will be growing by the thousands. Now, if I just new what kind you can eat.

BTW.....summer left in a hurry. It's snowing lightly today with heavier snow above 5000 feet.

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Check with Pack93z. His family is into mushrooms. At least the morel kind. But someone might know about Montana fungus.

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