2020 sure isn’t letting up. California is now battling roughly 367 known fires. Today, I decided to drive down the coast and document what I could of the #CZUAugustLightningComplex fire. This fire is just north of Santa Cruz, is burning over 25,000 acres and growing with 0% containment so far. It was a day I won’t forgot. On the lucky and semi-exciting side of being a photographer, I got to document my buddy and pilot friend @Jakelounsbury who use to fly me around SF and now fights fires and his co pilot @rlenzer. On the not so lucky and not exciting side of things, knowing a friend probably lost his home in this very fire. That part was unsettling to say the least. I was standing here in absolute awe, with a group of locals who were just evacuated, watching their land and homes burn away in the distance. Everyone was in decent spirits, but you could tell deep down how everyone was really feeling. Something I could not relate to, but I could definitely see it in them. I started talking with a nice gentleman named Andy, who was a local Arborist and lived in the now burned valley for the past 12 years. He mentioned and pointed at his three trucks filled with everything he could grab. We sort of knew this fire was going to come at us eventually. So before I decided to leave the area and get out of everyone’s way, I offered to help him shuttle his trucks, as he seemed to be alone. One by one a few miles down the road we went so that he could at least get them parked further from this fire zone. I know I can’t stop the fire and save the day, but I also felt I didn’t just want to stand there and be that come and go tourist. I love this area and have explored this coast for the past 10 years as a photographer. Never have I seen it like this. I am praying for these fires to let up and of course 2020 to end. Pictured is a Blackhawk H-60A+ Helicopter with a Bambi Max Bucket. Shots taken on August 19, 2020 near Whitehorse Canyon north of Davenport and the Santa Cruz area. Photos by @tobyharriman. #natgeo #pegair#CaliforniaFires #santacruzfire #blackhawk #santacruz #fire #pescadero (at Pescadero, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEGjOFVl4HX/?igshid=163s5zosvcf2u
