Fire at Sunset Crater

Cornflake

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is about fifteen miles north of Flagstaff, It's one of my favorite places and I've visited dozens of times. In June, the press reported that Sunset Crater had been "completely burned over" in the Tunnel Fire. It was closed to visitors until a couple of weeks ago for safety reasons. I went there on Monday to see what was left.

Predictably, grasses and flowers had recovered quickly. Many trees had been completely burned. Some had been partly burned. Maybe 45 percent hadn't been burned at all. I was saddened by what was lost but I was glad to see how much remained. It will be a different place after this but it will still be a terrific place.

denisegoldberg

Thanks for sharing this - the landscape looks amazing!
The second photo seems to really make a statement about the fire. It's gorgeous!

Cornflake

Thanks, Denise. It is an amazing landscape.

Juano

Amazing landscape indeed. The first shot is incredibly beautiful in spite of the tragedy. The composition and colors are superb.

Cornflake

Thanks, Cristobal.

Stumblebum

First and last work for me! Cheers Don!

Cornflake

Thanks, Taz. Glad you liked those.

El Gato

Don, I visited Sunset Crater in 2018.

Wow, certainly a difference now. Glad to know that the flowers are thriving back and hopefully everything else will follow.

Your are so correct, the National Monument is a fantastic place.

Our National Parks get most of the limelight but there are some fantastic National Monuments that rival their big cousins. I suspect many folk would be surprised at what they would find. Aside from the beauty, most often... no crowds, peace, quiet and many times (in my experience) the Monument and surroundings, all to yourself.

Thank you for posting these images.

Cornflake

"Our National Parks get most of the limelight but there are some fantastic National Monuments that rival their big cousins. "

Gato, thanks for the comments. Arizona has only three national parks: Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest and Saguaro. They're good places but many of my favorite places are on national monuments or in national forests. That includes Canyon de Chelly, Wupatki, Sunset Crater, Oak Creek Canyon, the San Francisco Peaks and many others. And you're right, the crowds mostly stick to the national parks.