To the west, flames from the Maynard Fire are shooting up from behind the ridge. To the northwest, the Gilbert Fire is running down the hills toward the highway. No more arguments. Kathryn yells at Sam. On both sides of the highway, flaming trees sizzle like slow-motion matches, in 30 seconds turning from green needles to black skeletons.
Chunky embers whirl past their cars.
The smoke is so thick they can see barely 50 yards ahead. Off-duty fire crews douse spot fires erupting around the meadow. Churning winds, powered by convection currents from the surrounding fires, lift a mess tent 50 feet into the air and slam it to the ground. Back in the canyon, Houde makes sure his crew gets out and tells every resident he can find to do the same. He stays behind to watch, driving from one already-blackened safe spot to another to avoid the roaring flames.