Balloon glow

I can't find anything online to tell me how they did this. For some reason Albuquerque is famous for hot air balloons. I guess everywhere has to have something that they are famous for. So last night they had 6 balloons lined up on the infield next to where we are parked and somehow they made them glow inside. As near as I could tell they somehow move the flame inside the balloon envelope. They don't necessarily glow when the burner is on to heat the balloon. It appeared to me that they released gas into the balloon and then lit it. Whatever they were doing it was pretty damn spectacular.

It was very difficult to get an image of all of them lit at the same time. They were only very rarely lit simultaneously and then only for fractions of seconds. Some of the operators were much more adept at creating the effect. I suspect there was some significant risk to the balloon from what they were doing so perhaps some of the operators were more reckless (as opposed to being more skilled.)
Rita Coolidge was the headliner last night. She spent most of her time name dropping and I wasn't alone when I left early. The balloons were just setting up when I came out of Rita's lacklustre performance. I'd have to say I am glad she wasn't more captivating because I would have missed most of the balloon show. By the time Rita finally shut up and the few remaining hardy souls left the tent the best of the balloon show was over.

These images were taken from the roof of the bus. We just happened to be parked about 8 coaches in from the edge of the grounds and about 2 rows over from where the balloons were set up. I couldn't possibly have had a better vantage point.

More pictures here if anybody is interested.