Driving through Yellowstone National Park at the end of it's busy season we found ourselves slowed down by traffic. Usually large crowds of visitors to the park would slow down travel, but on this particular day a lightning started fire was slowing down our progress through the park- named the Arnica Fire. Lightning started fires in the park generally extinguish on their own. Yellowstone is a fire-adapted ecosystem, and fire plays a major role in maintaing the health of the area's wildlife and vegetation by clearing old underbrush and allowing for new growth - Mother Nature's way of cleaning!
This photograph was taken off the road near a grove right before Yellowstone Lake came into view. The sun was shining beautifully on the landscape while the smoke was diffusing it.
