Judy Leitch, Arson Series (#1of 3) "SoleBlackenedSoul" (PLACES 2026)

Web:

https://galabirding.smugmug.com/

On January 8, 2026, multiple fires were deliberately set in Pine Ridge Conservation Park. A dry summer meant the wet and dry coastal heath on sand plains burnt fiercely, as did the banksia woodland on the dunes. A hot fire. Many mature eucalyptus were ablaze along with the melaleuca tall forest trees, sending smoke plumes kilometres into the sky over the residential areas. The fire destroyed 93 hectares of land, about 83% of the park. Image is photographs merged using image overlay in-camera. The smoke plume as seen 1 km away (day 1) and then beside the burning (day 2). My soles were blackened each day I walked through the burning. My soul was scorched.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.