Wildfires! – Photographs by Thomas Haney
Australia and Russia have small wildland firefighting forces, but the real epicenter is the western United States. The combination of vast evergreen forests, hot, dry summers and plenty of lightning results in millions of acres burned every year and hundreds of homes lost, and the length and intensity of fire seasons is expected to continue increasing as the West becomes hotter and drier in the coming years. The effort to combat these blazes employs tens of thousands of people doing everything from providing mobile meals and shows, to dropping water from helicopters and working on the ground in the frontline of the fires.Thomas Haney has been a wildland firefighter for 5 years, and he gives a first-hand account of his experiences. If you are interested in publishing this story, please contact us for further details.Photos © Thomas Haney / stevebloom.com