Monday, September 12, 2011

Wild Fire Damage

Several years ago there were major wildfires in the area where we are currently camped out in our RV. Even though it's been quite a while, the damage is present everywhere. I'm posting some of the things we saw while driving around. Most of the damage was caused by the devastating Cedar fire. 


I'm not sure what this was, but it looks like it was pretty nice.


One of these days I'll do a post on the back story of this building.

An old volcano cone. I've tried many times to get it's reflection on Lake Cayumaca, but the water has always been too rough.


Lots of eerie looking silhouettes of dead trees.

Based on all the burnt trees and how many of these houses looked rebuilt, it must have been very scary.








Many areas are still closed to the public.

Being out of town so much, I'm really getting behind on the things I want to post. We're leaving again in a couple of weeks, so catching up is gonna take some time...


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35 comments:

  1. Must be nice to travel so much.
    Even with remains of the fire showing, some of those photos are really nice. Nature always finds a way to come back.

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  2. Good Morning Patrick! Your life sounds full and rich these days.

    Burned out remnants of a life once lived is good subject matter for photographs. Whoa, I'm too philosophical for 8:00 in the morning. :)

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  3. there is something I like about the gnarled trees - obviously NOT that they were burned, but that they look kind of peaceful.

    I must have been terrifying, how close those houses are

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  4. Love the blue skies with clouds background here. Hope you are doing well!

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  5. It's such a tragic landscape, and you show it. People displaced and their homes destroyed, and probably many wild animals dead in the fire. I try to take comfort in the fact that nature always seems to come back, no matter what people do to it.

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  6. Wonderful pics as always. I love the dead tree silouette.

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  7. I always think about the animals that got killed in those fires. Nice photos Pat.

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  8. looks like my kinda place to hang out ^_^

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  9. Wow... if trees could speak, these ones would be screaming!

    Very soulful pics.

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  10. There's something about the coloring on the first five pictures that's really amazing. I don't know if it was the lens you were using or the lighting or what, but they have an epic feel to them.

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  11. Can one ever get used to seeing the devastation these fires cause?

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  12. There is something eerie yet fascinating about burnt out scenes. Last year, I hiked through a burnt out forest in Canada's Tweedsmuir Park... an incredible day that will live on in my mind's eye forever.
    Fantastic photos as always, Pat...

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  13. Those areas are always so fascinating, especially the black trees and stone buildings. I love the rocky hills. Thanks again for a very nice post. The clouds help make the photos atmospheric, too. Beautiful!

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  14. Great capture Pat! I couldn't imagine the terror of all that power and devastation of an unstoppable fire!

    John

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  15. Some of those trees would sure be spooky at night! Have a great time!

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  16. I can't even imagine the horror of seeing something like an out of control wild fire coming toward your house. Your photos are hauntingly beautiful.

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  17. wow your photos are always so beautiful

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  18. It's ironic to see so much beauty in the destruction.
    xoRobyn

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  19. Great shots pat. I would have to think more than twice to rebuild where those homes are. It is not farfetched to imagine it happening again. All it takes is lightning or some fool with a lighter and no brains.

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  20. The burned out houses are quite haunting.

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  21. I am envious; you've been RVing a lot! The photos are beautiful. It is surprising how quickly the landscape recovers.

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  22. your photos are gorgeous. thanks for sharing with us. and try not to be concerned about catching up. when I go out of town I get so behind, I sometimes have over 200 unread posts in my Reader and it freaks me out. but I always do get caught up eventually, and we all understand. just have fun! happy day to you Pat.

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  23. Really excellent work Patty. You've got a good eye as I've said before. I like the first one and the fourth one and the fourth last one with the trees. But they're all good.

    Looks like my kind of trip!

    =]

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  24. Alex - It is nice, thanks Alex. We do spend a lot of time on the road. We worked long and hard to get to this point. You are right, nature is in charge.

    California Girl - Hi there! We are having a good time, that's for sure. I agree with you. When I see things like this it fills me with questions.

    baygirl - I love the look, but I look at it like a big grave yard. Nature will take it over again soon.

    Sharon - Thanks Sharon!

    Bossy Betty - Oh yeah! Everything was in place. The lighting was also awesome. I'm doing great Betty! Hope you are as well.

    Budd - Thanks Budd! I agree, they look totally spooky to me.

    Ginnymo - I understand that. It really bothers my wife a lot. Thanks Ginny!

    Ven - It sure is! With your camera in hand.

    Nikki - thanks so much Nikki! It wouldn't much of road trip for you to see this area. Just a short Jaunt up the 8.

    Tim - It was a different camera. The first group was taken with my good (but old) camera. Thanks Tim!

    Ms. A - Not a chance! We live in wildfire central also. Add to that, the fact that we have more than our share of nuts out here and it's totally crazy.

    Nat - I agree with you. It's stark, beautiful and sad. Thanks so much Nat.

    tapirgal - I totally agree with you. I was SO HAPPY that it was very bright, but with huge fluffy white coulds. Thanks!

    John - Thanks John! We've had helicopters dropping water on fires very close to us, a couple of times in the past few years.

    Esther - I agree! Nature does what it wants and there's no stopping it.

    Brian - I agree! Very spooky!

    Marlene - Thanks so much Marlene! It must be terrifying.

    becca - Thanks becca! I really do appreciate that.

    Robyn - It's a mixed bag of sights and emotions.

    Chuck - Thanks Chuck! People just keep right on building. Wildfires, hill slides and earthquakes. We're a funny group out here on the left coast.

    Blue Wave 707 - Yep! I wonder what it was before and what it's going to be when it's rebuilt.

    #1Nana - Thanks! We have been. We just got home tonight and we'll be gone again in 10 days. It's time for you to hit the road also...

    Ms. Becky - Thanks for the nice words Becky. I'm so behind on the blogs I love to look at. I'll do what I can to catch up on them all. Thanks again!

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  25. It always fascinates me the way nature reclaims what has been broken, burned, eroded or hurt. Neat pictures.
    Rosemary

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  26. Natural disasters can be so scary, but they can create beauty as well. Like those tree silhouettes. They are beautiful in their own way as well.

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  27. It is amazing how natural disasters have such power. Storms and wild fires. It's almost sad how there's this serenity in those photos, yet there is loss. Ya know?

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  28. Wildfires are horrific...even though it is said that in the grand scheme of things they offer a benefit. You captured the horrific aftermath beautifully.

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  29. Some great shots here Pat, I particularly liked the silluetted tree. What destruction the fires left in their wake, eh?

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  30. One of the ironies of life: sad yet beautiful scenes. (Your photos did not embiggen, Pat.)

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  31. Wild fire must scary to witness, but I have read that the soil became richer afterward. Your photos documented well!

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  32. Great shots Pat. That must have been one scary fire from looking at those houses. Looks like Mother Nature is working on covering up some of the damage.

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  33. Mother Nature will recover much better than we humans; for her it's a clean up, for us a trauma.

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