25 years ago right now, Yellowstone burned up

Is this hell?

Or is it Yellowstone?

That was my exact thought as I piloted a small, single engine airplane over the vast expanse of Yellowstone National Park in August of 1988, during the horrible fires that year.

Flying with me on that day was the late Larry Hastings, one of the best pilots and instructors in Wyoming history. Also along and helping take photos was the late Mike McClure, a legend in his own right, as a premier photographer.

Both men lived in Lander. We had been talking about making this flight for some time.

It was my bright idea. We had seen TV coverage of the fire but no one...