The "Lava Fire"
The Lava Fire, named because it is burning in a large lava field, was sparked by lightning on July 17. It smoldered - "sleeping" - until Monday, July 23, when it finally put up enough smoke for lookouts to spot it.
The fire was attacked by BLM fire crews, contained & controlled, but it re-ignited on Wednesday, July 25, and spread to 120 acres. Yesterday - Thursday - the fire spread to 400+ acres. Today the Lava Fire is somewhere between 800-1200 acres (tonight am leaning toward a new size-up of 1200-1500 acres).
The fire is burning in a relatively low-threat environment (lava with junipers and low-fuels), and the prevailing (and forecast winds) are keeping the fire a couple of miles east of the Deschutes National Forest (and 17 miles southeast of me). However, it is enough of a threat to something that tanker aircraft have been working on the fire for three days now.
Yesterday (Thursday 7/26 - 400+ acres)
Today (around 4:30pm - 1200 - 1500 acres?)
= new reply since forum marked as read
Great pics, as always...and scary too.
I mean, a fire in a lava field? 
Thanks for being there!
