It wasn't until moving to Southern Oregon that I learned what it is like to live in a forest fire zone. Western Washington has forest fires, but nothing like what the dry woods of Southern Oregon offers. This morning, on a hot and cloudless day as is common this time of year, the nearby hills had a thin haze of smoke surrounding them. (The shots below were taken at 6:48PM)
By afternoon, the hills were invisible to the naked eye, and everywhere you look has a orange glow. Such is life when a forest fire rages. This time, the Douglas Fire. Located about 40 miles or so north of Ashland, the fire was started by lightning. Fifty four strikes were recorded. A few fires joined before they could be doused, leading to a growing fire.
The smoke sure makes for a spectacular looking "sunset" visible for many hours. By the time the sun is near the usual sunset time, it's invisible. The fire is still growing, so smoke will be hanging around the valley for a while.