Wildfire is on my mind as the 416 Fire near Durango, Colorado overwhelms my mountain hamlet with choking smoke and burning ash. I am well aware that the apocalyptic scene engulfing my little town is just one of many unfolding throughout the Southwest as the agonizing reality of wildfire proliferates due to extreme drought conditions, denuded forests, and rising temperatures.

I moved to the mountains of Colorado to get away from the daily grind and buzz of the urban environment—to find the truth in nature and to know the peace that comes when fully immersed in it.