Antelope Island: After The Fire
July 23, 2024
A fire breaks out on Antelope Island State Park.
July 26, 2024.
Despite the wildfire that burned 59 acres of Antelope Island this Tuesday, life continues. I was pleased to see that the area, although void of color, was still full of life. Grasshoppers traveled through the miniature black forests, shrikes perched on burnt branches looking for food, and meadowlarks’ songs filled the smokey air.
July 26, 2024.
The charred area stands out like a scar on the island. I realize I’ve seen the earth sport blankets of green, white, red, and brown, but never black like this.
July 26, 2024.
A pair of burrowing owls find a rock to perch on after their home was scorched. In summers like these, much of their diet consists of insects like grasshoppers and dragonflies. I start to wonder if their blackened hunting grounds make it easier for them to find food, but I doubt it’s a fair trade off for them. Like most birds, their lungs are extremely sensitive, and hopping around the scorched earth is surely sending ash into their airways.
July 26, 2024.
Thanks to the quick work of firefighters, this fire only burned 59 acres. Its relatively small size allowed most wildlife to escape it.
Unfortunately, the same can not be said for larger fires burning in North America, which are often 10x, 100x, or ever 1000x this size. Since January 1st, 4,678,064 acres have burned in the United States. That is almost a million acres above the ten year average, and we still have months of wildfire season to go.
