Dry, windy conditions in August abruptly provoked a wild fire, the Swan Lake Fire, that had been burning unremarkably in the Cooper Landing vicinity since early June.  The result, a surprise to the fire managers, was a sudden and uncontrolled conflagration that shut down the road to Homer for a while and even disrupted air travel.  People left the Cove not knowing whether they would be able to drive on to Anchorage, or would have to overnight somewhere en route.  There were also fires elsewhere, including one near Homer and one very large one near Wasilla.  The Swan Lake Fire was the largest and hardest to fight.  Evacuation and get-ready orders were posted.   Traffic was stopped, in long lines.  

The impact in Halibut Cove itself was visual.  Smoke came south through the passes and the high haze reddened the sun and reduced light and contrast.  

Here, the afternoon sun is partly obscured by haze.

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Late afternoon, it looks more like sunset.

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Actual sunset was much redder than usual.  Visually striking, the resulting red and orange glow was a visual analogy to the all-too-real flames a hundred miles to the north.

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Leaving Halibut Cove, under the haze of the uncontrolled fire to the north (black and white conversion): EF4A7889-Edit-Edit EF4A7913 EF4A7923-Edit EF4A7923

Far more attractive and placid than the reality on the road to Anchorage, as the next post will discuss further.