Wildfires in Our Area

At almost 3 in the afternoon, there are currently three wildfires burning within 30 miles of Boulder.  The temperature is now 61 degrees, the humidity is at 19%, and the wind is from the west-southwest, blowing at 19 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.  Other than overnight frost, we have not had rain or snow in 35 days.  We are dry and dessicated at the moment, and are under a "Red Flag Watch" which means extreme fire danger.  No wonder there are three fires burning...
   One is a grass fire between Denver and Golden; one is a grass fire on a farm's pasture; and one is a grass-brush fire near Longmont that has made some house evacuations necessary.  It is thought that the first two fires were caused by cigarettes flung from car windows.  The one near Longmont hasn't had a cause determined yet...   According to the long-range forecast, after highs in the 70s tomorrow and mid 60s Wednesday (with high winds, of course), we're supposed to have some snow on Thursday, and possibly Friday morning...  I won't hold my breath, though.
    With the weather being so warm, the plants and animals are thinking that it's spring...  Birds are beginning to nest; squirrels are providing acrobatic displays in their search for mates; skunks are having their orgies and spraying everywhere during their breeding.  There's an area, almost one and a half miles wide, near the Denver International Airport, that reeks to high heaven of skunk scent...  It's incredible!
   I'll also ask that you send a few warm thoughts to my "adopted nephew" Connor Evans today, as he has to appear before a Judge at Standing Rock, North Dakota.  Connor is facing charges of "inciting a riot" at the Dakota Pipeline building site on the Standing Rock Reservation.  Connor, who is friendly with the Lakota, had wandered up to the front line of the protest, and was standing next to Chase Iron Eyes.  Connor had wanted to get a first-person eyes-on perspective of what the oil company's men, and the law officers, were doing.  Connor, Chase, and 74 other people, who were standing silently, and watching, were arrested for "inciting a riot."  That is not Connor in any way, shape or form.  If he is found guilty at this hearing, I'm sure he can handle the 10 days in jail sentence.  But I also know that he won't willingly leave Standing Rock - and, the state is changing their laws - if he gets arrested a second time, he can be charged with a felony - and that has me worried.   (Thanks for reading/listening, by the way.) The following photo is Connor at Standing Rock...