My latest story on wildland fire for @natgeo about the horrors and the heroes.

Here are a few of the frames from the story and a few of the firefighters from this summer in Colorado, following @salt_lake1 to my past experiences.
Thanks to all who helped - Kim and Jamie with the Incident Team 2, @jmc280 and Scott Thompson for your seasoned perspectives and to all for your ongoing hard, fearless work.

You can read my full story at the link in my bio or at this link on Nat Geo.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/colorado-gold-mountain-fire-wildfires-west-pete-mcbride

#fire #heroes #photojournalism

📷 #petemcbride
#sonyalpha ...

A world on fire — and a few of the faces of those risking it all to protect others.

I’ve recently been doing a story for @NatGeo about the record-breaking fires across the Western US and beyond (coming out soon). Here are a few images from the resilient @salt_lake1 crew - boots on the ground - that I met in recently in Colorado. They are now in Idaho on the frontlines of another inferno.

Yesterday everyone was tragically reminded how wild Land firefighters risk everything as a firefighting helicopter - the second of the season - crashed in Utah. Air crew coordinate with ground crews to create to dual offensive.

I’m grateful to all the heroic and selfless firefighters on the ground and in the sky - and their support teams - working “the line” all over - daily, weekly, monthly, yearly — for the rest of us. So saddened by the tragedies this fire season - now predicted to go all year.

Images from the forthcoming story and older ones when a fire came to my town’s front door.

#fire #firefighters #heroes

📷 #petemcbride
#sonyalpha ...

A few aerial views of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah and some of land it included before its recent cuts.

This July, 91% of the monument (and a similar percentage of Escalante) were removed from national monument status.

What is even more alarming to me, is Bears Ears was a collaborative effort with a commission of five native tribes (Hopi, Navajo, Zuni, Ute mountain Ute & Ute Uintah and Ouray) and the federal government to protect sacred sites and cultural and natural resources for future generations. Now, once again, those lands face an uncertain future in years of legal fights and the tribal commission was disbanded and their tribal names have been removed from any remaining monument signs.

I continue to ponder how we can bring conservation concepts back into the Conservative Party, a place it once readily resided. Public opinion strongly supports the monuments at their original size, yet these public lands and more are quickly eroding to private interests.

Chaco Canyon in New Mexico appears to be next on the list.

To learn more: check out @npcapics
For maps and more check out @grandcanyontrust

#monuments #utah #nature #native

📷 #petemcbride

1. 2. 4. 6. San Juan River near Valley of the Gods
3. 5. The “Bears Ears Buttes” remain protected in the 10% but the land to the West and north do not. ...

Hotter and drier: welcome to the new West and wildfire.

Wildfires are running wild across the West - the results of less moisture, a changed climate and in part, less manpower and funding for it all.

These are a few frames when I evacuated my home a few years ago. I recall thinking it wouldn’t happen in my town next to a river. Now it is happening everywhere. Be prepared.

Thanks to all the brave fire fighters across Colorado and beyond risking all for all of us. My town is thankfully still here thanks to the amazing work of a few firefighters.

The tragic loss near Grand Junction is heartbreaking.

#wildfire #firefighter #water

📷 #petemcbride ...