Animated Photography, 2021

To create the series, Superimpositions, I overlaid found images documenting recent wildfires in the West onto a photographs I took in rural Ontario, CAN. Each animation unfolds over an extended period of time, to convey as a premonition, by situating the fire as though it is taking place in Ontario’s landscape.

My inspiration for this series was in reading news reports of wildfires in the Western US and Canada. And thinking, if climate temperatures continue to rise, similarly destructive and devastating fires could just as easily happen in areas where I or my loved ones reside. Ontario, so far, has not been directly impacted by the increase in wildfires resulting from climate change, as is being observed in the West.

Created for an exhibition at Ryniker-Morrison Gallery at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT.

Location of Ontario Photograph: East of Palmerston, ON off Wellington Road 123

Wildfire Details:

• Name: Birdseye Fire
• Date Fire Started: Sept 2, 2020
• Location: West Helena Valley, MT
• Details: Burned approx. 800 acres of grasslands in an hour and a half, triggering evacuations
• Source of Photograph Documenting MT Fire: Thom Bridge, photojournalist with the Independent Record; used with permission; https://helenair.com/news/local/helena-area-property-owners-recount-birdseye-fire-chaos/article_926ee454-2c83-5fd8-b73c-78c14a0a0a41.html

Location of Ontario photograph: Caledon, ON

Wildfire Details:

• Name: BobCat Fire
• Date Fire Started: Sept 2, 2020
• Location: Filmed approximately 7 miles southeast of Roundup, MT
• Details: Burned approx. 30,030 acres of primarily short grass and timber, 95% contained by Oct 7, 2020.
• Source of Image Documenting MT Fire: Screen Capture, KTVQ; https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/eastern-montana-fire-update-friday-sept-4

Location of Ontario photograph: East of Palmerston, ON

Wildfire Details:

• Name: Pine Gulch Fire, CO
• Date Fire Started: July 31, 2020
• Location: North of Grand Junction, CO
• Details: largest wildfire in Colorado history, burned approx. 139,007 acres of public and private lands, forcing evacuations.
• Source of Photograph Documenting CO Fire: Grand Junction Field Office, Bureau of Land Management; Inciweb, https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/photos/COGRD/2020-08-02-0932-Pine-Gulch-Fire/medium/2020_08_05-23.42.35.243-CDT.jpeg

Location of Ontario Photograph: Wellington Road 123, East of Palmerston,

Wildfire Details:

• Name: Taylor Fire
• Date Fire Started: August 1, 2021
• Location: Between the towns of Winifred and Denton in Fergus County, MT
• Details: Burned approx. 22,909 acres of timber, sage, and hay fields.
• Source of Photograph Documenting MT Fire: Fergus County Sheriff’s Office, https://www.montanarightnow.com/fires/fire-in-fergus-county-north-of-bear-springs-road-jumps-judith-river/article_1b700528-f32f-11eb-8cef-431fab683059.html

Location of Ontario Photograph: southeast of Stouffville, ON

Wildfire Details:

• Name: Bobcat Fire 
• Date Fire Started: Sept 2, 2020
• Location: southeast of Roundup, MT 
• Details: Burned approx. 30,030 acres of primarily short grass and timber, was 95% contained by Oct 7, 2020.
• Source of Photograph Documenting CO Fire: Photographed by Casey Page for the Billings Gazette; used with permission; https://billingsgazette.com/news/local/fire-crews-battling-eastern-montana-blazes-prepare-for-upcoming-severe-weather/article_8bfae57a-d72e-53f0-9699-a58490793e8b.amp.html