It's All Burning

An unusually dry spring encouraged this wildfire to burn out of control for nearly a week. Starting near Hewlett Gulch northwest of Fort Collins the fire torched steep hillsides spreading north of the Poudre River towards subdivisions around Seaman reservoir. Fire burned this very same area less than 10 years ago.

The glow of the flames in the pluming smoke was visible as soon as we entered the canyon heading west. All of sudden we turned a corner and this is what was in front of us. Although it appears in the picture that the fire is burning the back side of that small hill there is probably close to a thousand vertical feet of burnt mountain above with embers burning like orange stars against the night sky. In fact, it took a while for our eyes to adjust and realize that you could hardly tell where the mountain with embers ended and the cool white of the stars began. It had a vaguely apocalyptic feeling but underlying that thrill was a feeling that it was natural and supposed to be there.

This shot was made at 35mm f/5.6 with a 30-second exposure from a rock partway out into the river.

It was featured on National Geographic's Daily Dozen selection (May Week 4) and can be viewed and voted on HERE.

There is the possibility of print publication if it is an editor's choice or popular vote.

Photo portfolio can be viewed HERE.