The burning bush

Aerial fireworks are legal in Utah, even in the city. It scares me to death. Growing up, my family was able to buy and light aerial fireworks since we lived within the boundaries of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation, but we didn't have any close neighbors and were very careful to make sure that fires didn't start. When fireworks are light in the road and land in trees, yards, and houses, I get a little nervous. Anyway, last night our neighbors were lighting off some fireworks in the cul-de-sac and I walked by the window and wondered why it is so bright. I look out and one of our bushes is on fire! There are flames 10-15 feet high!

I don't have a picture because fortunately my first reaction was to run outside and grab a garden hose to try and put the fire out instead of take pictures. It was pretty easy to put out, but it was also pretty easy to start. It turns out that it was sagebrush, which burns like gasoline. We hated the bush from the beginning, but decided that we wouldn't make any drastic changes to the yard until the fall so we could see what everything was like and to see what we wanted to keep. The bush was also so big and overgrown that we didn't know where to start hacking at it. The fire helped with that. The neighbors helped us remove the bush this morning, and fixed the part of our sprinkler system that got burned up as well. In the end it was a good thing I guess, but a little too much excitement!