This scorching snap captures the devastation that forest fires cause to the natural world. Photographer Tran Tuan used a drone to reveal a forest split in two: one side ablaze, the other still lush with life… for now.
Tran took this photo in the Bac Giang province of Vietnam, but forest fires like this one are devastating every corner of the globe (except for Antarctica). While wildfires are often sparked by human activity or lightning strikes, climate change is pouring fuel on the fire, by creating hotter – and in many regions – drier conditions, and more combustible material. This has been linked with fires that can burn longer and spread further.
“Through the photo, I also want to convey to everyone the message of forest protection, the message of climate change.”
Such blazes can have dire impacts on the natural and human worlds. For example, they can destroy habitats and farmland alike, and create hazardous air pollution. But with better forest management, as well as more education on the sources of fires, the world can make progress to better protect our forests – and ourselves.
Photo location: Bac Giang province, Vietnam
Photographer based: Bac Giang province, Vietnam
Camera: DJI Mavic Pro