Florida Brushfire
Florida Brushfire.
South of State Road 46; Seminole county, Florida.
23 February 2007.
Nikon D70s.
Brushfire is a natural part of Florida’s ecosystematic regulatory pattern. Of course, nowadays a good number of these brushfires are actually instigated and regulated by state fire officials. If we learned anything from the firestorm of summer 1998, it’s that we need to have controlled burns. If we don’t and if we don’t allow this natural cycle to operate, the whole state will burn up (as it nearly did in the summer of 1998).
This is a brushfire on the edge of a vast wet prairie in central Florida. I always have mixed feelings when I see a brushfire like this. On the one hand, there’s a beauty in watching creation through incineration. With fire comes renewal – and that’s something that really moves me. But, on the other hand, it marks the end of the prior cycle – and undoubtedly displaces and/or kills a good number of animals.
Of course, without moderate brushfires like this, the potentially massive firestorms could (and would) displace and kill much, much more… So I’m grateful for these smaller firestorms. They are the buffers between the health of today and the potential catastrophes of tomorrow.
Ten years later I can still smell the smoke of summer 1998. I can still feel the sting in my eyes. I can still feel the sorrow of all the casualties from that massive firestorm, environmentally and domestically. So when I see a modest brushfire like this one, I tend to lean more towards a general sense of gratitude. In the end, this isn’t about destruction. It’s about preservation.
Janson,
http://floridana.typepad.com
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J.K. York
yes, i remember those fires well driving towards High Springs from Gainesville the smoke was choking thick. the lone palm stands perfectly in this prairie. the smoke gives this shot a painting like quality. great job of mixing documentary with art.
jsjones replied
That was a hell of a summer, wasn’t it? I guess I don’t have to personally worry about it in my backyard anymore – living in Alaska and what-not. Of course, now I get to worry about volcanoes and earthquakes.
As always, thank you for your kind words. I do appreciate it—
Janson
ECGardner
This shot has a very surreal quality to it, and I’m not sure why. It’s beautifully composed, with the lone palm in the foreground and the bit of water curling through the grasses. It’s just a beautiful capture, all the way around. I wasn’t here in 1998, but I certainly have been here in years when the smoke from fires was thick and choking (like last year—the wildfires in southern Georgia and northern Florida were horrible). The elements can certainly be destructive, can’t they?
Leanna Lomanski
A compelling and excellently composed shot. Thanks for the insight as well…......really adds to the work for me.