Los Alamos, New Mexico Fire From 30,000 Feet in Air

I snapped this picture from my camera phone as we passed near the massive wildfire that had at one point threatened the Los Alamos National Laboratory -- one of the country's biggest nuclear research facilities and home to an old hazardous waste site. The fire was only 70 feet from the facility before firefighters pushed it back.

Thankfully the lab was spared and the fire is now 40 percent contained. But the largest wild-lands blaze in New Mexico history sadly still threatens a sacred Pueblo Indian mountain, although the weather is helping stave it off for now.

Props to the United Airlines pilot on the flight from Washington Dulles to San Diego Lindbergh Field for pointing this out to the passengers.