Castle Hill Peak and the Porters Pass Fire

This shot taken from the road at the bottom of the climb up to Porters Pass. At this angle the small companion peak appears on the left-hand side, rather than on the right.

I went up to the mountains to look at the damage caused by last week’s fire. The smoke had been visible from home and I could tell that it was in the vicinity of the place I love to go to photograph native subalpine flora and fauna. The drive up and around the hill just below the Pass was rather devastating, with the low-growing plants and bushes on both sides of the road burnt out or charred. However, to my great relief, the flames had not reached the Pass.

There are two extra shots- one taken from below the road and the other from the Pass. Several hundred hectares of conservation and farmland were burnt, but I could see only a small portion from the car. The fire fighters did a great job, especially as the local brigade were holding their big annual fundraiser on the same day.