I lived in Bozeman from 1998 until 2009, these are the mountains that I saw every morning and evening. They are as much a part of Bozeman’s character as the historic Main Street or Montana State University.
Often Montana State used photos from the Bridger Mountains to promote itself. People in Bozeman who went to MSU may still remember the slogan Mountains and Minds. To see them on fire was unnerving, the smoke reminded me of what a volcano looks like.
I’m not unfamiliar with fire and its effects, I moved to West Yellowstone in 1992 and remember visiting areas of the 1988 fires in Yellowstone. In a few years there will be new growth. Fire is an important part of the lifecycle especially for species like lodgepole pine trees.
This little part of the world has changed a lot in 2020.