Annual Prairie Fire

View from our apartment window

We had an interesting experience this evening. There is a plot of ground across the street from us that they let go in its natural state. The plot is about one acre.  It is prairie grass.

They let it grow all year. Then in the Spring, they set it on fire so that those interested can get a feel of what a prairie would be like and how fast it burns. Most of the missionaries as well as citizens of Nauvoo come to watch. 

Ground level view of the plot of prairie grass.

The whole thing burns up in two to three  minutes. I'm sure that it would be a frightening   experience for those on the prairie to be  caught in one.

Because of the drought they had this year, the grass wasn't as tall as it can get. It was about three feet high. They tell us the grass can get as tall as a man.

In the picture to the right, you can see the Buster home. It is the white building at the far left. Our apartment occupies the whole  upstairs. 

The flames get to about ten to twelve feet high.

As part of the event, Elder and Sister Taylor who are in charge of putting on the annual Nauvoo pagent, invited all the Nauvoo missionaries to their home for a hot dog barbecue with all the trimmings. 

Their home is the one seen across the prairie grass plot, looking from our window in the picture at the top.

Following the burning, we spent the rest of the evening in Rendezvous training and practice.