On a spring afternoon I had received word that the conditions were right for the high possibilityof some burning in the Flint hills. The decisions to burn are made on the spur of the moment, depending on the weather conditionsand the wind. I piled my camera equipment into the truck and headed for the Tallgrass Prairie in Chase County to begin my search. When I arrived, I could tell by the activity that the Tallgrass Prairie itself was going to be burned that evening.The burning began about a half hour before sunset, but this photograph was taken long afterwards when the only light was create by the glow of the continuing fires. Luckily the wind was dead calm, allowing the cottonwood to remain completely still during the multisecond exposure.