Today I headed up the West Fork Canyon Road in the Bob Marshall Wilderness outside of Choteau, MT to survey the damage from the Fool Creek Fire.

The fire was discovered on the fourth of July and burned almost 60,000 acres until it was controlled mostly through changes in weather and rain. It was a lightning caused fire and was managed as such for most of its life. There was some attempt to control spread in areas where structures were involved. Those efforts were successful.

I had initially been told that Axl's camp had been destroyed. This was a campground that I had spent a lot of time at as a kid so I was very relieved to see that the camp was not destroyed. The fire however did come within about a hundred yards of the camp.

As I went up the road past the Teton Pass Ski Area the true damage came into view. As far as you could see in any direction was completely destroyed by the fire. It was a powerful site to behold. It is hard to comprehend the power of nature. I was just in these woods this summer and now they were completely gone.

Today’s first image was taken heading into the canyon in an area not damage by the fire.

The second image was taken at the end of the road where the West Fork picnic area was located. The fire roared through this area in a matter of just a few hours and destroyed nearly everything in its path. Amazingly though you can already see the sprouts of new plant life poking through the ground.

The third image I shot as part of a new series of images that I am shooting showing how man can screw up or spoil the environment with carelessness or wanton disregard. In the image is a beaver pond that has some plastic drainpipe and other debris floating in it. I am not sure how the items got into the pond but I know that In July this pond was clean.

I know that the fire is an important part of natures own renewal process but it is saddening to see the level of destruction in the forest. It was heartening to see the new growth already sprouting and the paw and hoof prints of animals returning to the area. This is an area that I will shoot a lot of in the future to show the progression of the rebirth of this beautiful forest.