Excellent story! I really like the part going into the forest at the crack of dawn. Ideal time to go deer hunting here :)

Nature is an interesting thing... she is finicky, ravishing, gentle, and terrifying all at the same time. I am a natural scientist.... I have seen her in many different ways. I made similar fires in similar situations.... I have also seen fire come out of the ground and meet the ocean!! What a spectacular fight that is between fire and water...

That is my own shot of Kilauea, near Puna, Hawaii, in 2018 around the east rift zone.... low altitude flying :)

Below is the USGS shot

You have rain water in your backyard... but at least you don't have that :)

Here is an USGS video to show the power of the nature :) I am going back there in September!

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/multimedia_uploads/multimediaFile-1965.mp4