41 photos
In 2019 I photographed the forest destruction caused by Hurricane Michael on Florida’s panhandle. Later that year I travelled to areas around the Great Smoky Mountains to find evidence of the extinction of the Eastern Hemlock, devastated in the early 2000s by an invasive insect. At the end of the year I captured images of the great cypress floodplain forest that was drowned by the construction of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal in 1968. Then COVID hit, and my last subject, the burning forests of California’s Megafires, was put on hold. Finally in fall 2022, we felt safe to travel again and I ventured to an area east of Sacramento in the El Dorado National Forest, the site of California’s 15th largest wildfire.
The Caldor Fire started on Aug. 14, 2021, just east of Omo Ranch and south of the community of Grizzly Flats. A father and son were arrested months later, accused of starting the fire. It wasn't until Oct. 21, 2021, that firefighters were able to fully contain the perimeter of the fire.
The fire burned 221,835 acres, more than 346 square miles or roughly the size of San Diego, across El Dorado, Amador and Alpine counties. Most of that patch was through dense and thick Sierra vegetation, in rough terrain, but the blaze also leveled the community of Grizzly Flats. It destroyed over 1,000 homes and other structures and damaged another 81 (KCRAnews.com).
We drove for 3 days on mostly paved forest roads cleared 1 year after the fire was extinguished. The scene was ominous, much like the hurricane ravaged landscape but with a more concentrated feeling of complete destruction. Traces of life were rare, but as with all these events, nature returns. There was still human activity, crews were taking out timber. I was curious about the amount of visible cutting and clearing that was evident, and apparently happening for almost a year.
We spoke to the innkeeper at our hotel and she recalled to story of their evacuation from the town of Pollock Pines. The fire had breached the main highway, and they drove through flames to reach safety. You could see the look of terror in her face, and she told us her small daughter was forever changed. Other people we spoke to had their own stories, about the slow response to the initial reports of fire, and the lack of government funding in the recovery efforts. Many people lost everything in addition to having their lives threatened.
The causes of these fires and the intensity of their destruction are debated, with many explanations based on climate change, poor forest management, and the influence of the timber industry. Like all disasters, there is a lot of blame to pass around. It was clear for those few conversations we had with locals, there is a general mistrust of government and industry and that neighbors helping each other is the only way to endure.
For the forests themselves, I’m optimistic that they will return in some way. Within a short time, green new growth will be visible, and that the cycle of natural life and death continues. The disruptions caused by clear-cutting and disturbance of the forest floor will take its toll, but for the most part, the ecosystem will remain intact.
Taking time to reflect on these events and the dynamics of recovery exposes the failure and inequity of our current systems. The observation of natural destruction, followed by ineptness of responses and resolution, leads to questions, and isn’t that the purpose of inquiry? Much more to learn, more to see, and more questions to ask.
The Caldor Fire started on Aug. 14, 2021, just east of Omo Ranch and south of the community of Grizzly Flats. A father and son were arrested months later, accused of starting the fire. It wasn't until Oct. 21, 2021, that firefighters were able to fully contain the perimeter of the fire.
The fire burned 221,835 acres, more than 346 square miles or roughly the size of San Diego, across El Dorado, Amador and Alpine counties. Most of that patch was through dense and thick Sierra vegetation, in rough terrain, but the blaze also leveled the community of Grizzly Flats. It destroyed over 1,000 homes and other structures and damaged another 81 (KCRAnews.com).
We drove for 3 days on mostly paved forest roads cleared 1 year after the fire was extinguished. The scene was ominous, much like the hurricane ravaged landscape but with a more concentrated feeling of complete destruction. Traces of life were rare, but as with all these events, nature returns. There was still human activity, crews were taking out timber. I was curious about the amount of visible cutting and clearing that was evident, and apparently happening for almost a year.
We spoke to the innkeeper at our hotel and she recalled to story of their evacuation from the town of Pollock Pines. The fire had breached the main highway, and they drove through flames to reach safety. You could see the look of terror in her face, and she told us her small daughter was forever changed. Other people we spoke to had their own stories, about the slow response to the initial reports of fire, and the lack of government funding in the recovery efforts. Many people lost everything in addition to having their lives threatened.
The causes of these fires and the intensity of their destruction are debated, with many explanations based on climate change, poor forest management, and the influence of the timber industry. Like all disasters, there is a lot of blame to pass around. It was clear for those few conversations we had with locals, there is a general mistrust of government and industry and that neighbors helping each other is the only way to endure.
For the forests themselves, I’m optimistic that they will return in some way. Within a short time, green new growth will be visible, and that the cycle of natural life and death continues. The disruptions caused by clear-cutting and disturbance of the forest floor will take its toll, but for the most part, the ecosystem will remain intact.
Taking time to reflect on these events and the dynamics of recovery exposes the failure and inequity of our current systems. The observation of natural destruction, followed by ineptness of responses and resolution, leads to questions, and isn’t that the purpose of inquiry? Much more to learn, more to see, and more questions to ask.
Morman Emigrant Trail
Morman Emigrant Trail
North South Rd
Burn 1, North South Rd
Burn 2, North South Rd
Burn 3, North South Rd
Clearcut 1
Branches, Morman Emigrant Trail
Clearcut 3
Clearcut 4
Silver Fork Rd
Details, Silver Fork Rd
Silver Fork Rd
Silver Fork Rd
(c) 2025 Douglas J. Eng