Firs and dogwoods, autumn, Yosemite. Dogwoods have proliferated in this area burned by the Rim Fire in 2013. 116mm, 15 seconds at f/16, ISO 100.
One afternoon about ten days ago Claudia and I headed up Highway 120, west of Yosemite Valley, to check on the fall color. We found some colorful dogwoods between the Valley and Crane Flat, but west of Crane Flat most of the dogwoods were brown, scorched by the Ferguson Fire last summer. Or, to be more accurate, they had been scorched by firing operations (back burns) performed by firefighters along the road.
We decided to hike down to the Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias. While the Ferguson Fire didn’t reach the Tuolumne Grove, the Rim Fire did in 2013. The media latched onto this story, with headlines about the fire threatening these ancient trees.
Sequoia trunks are quite fire resistant, and the giants in the Tuolumne Grove had survived many fires in their lifetimes. But 100 years of fire suppression had created a buildup of brush, logs, and smaller trees, potentially creating a ladder that could send fire into the vulnerable crowns of the sequoias.
So fire crews set up a sprinkler system, and performed firing operations in and around the grove to protect the sequoias. And that worked: the Rim Fire burned hot everywhere around the grove, but not in it, and the sequoias survived unscathed. (This L.A. Times article tells the story.)
Claudia and I had been to the Tuolumne Grove since the Rim Fire, but not in autumn. As we hiked down there ten days ago we were struck by the abundance of dogwoods. Like many trees, dogwoods crown-sprout after a fire. Unless the fire is especially hot, their roots survive, and immediately after the fire they send up new shoots from the root crown. Before the Rim Fire, the area above the Tuolumne Grove had been overgrown with white firs. Now the forest is much more open, and the dogwoods had proliferated in the newly-available sunlight. Many had grown over ten feet tall in just five years. In places the forest floor was a sea of red and yellow, filled with dogwood leaves turning color.
In the Tuolumne Grove itself we couldn’t see any sign of the Rim Fire. The dense understory of white firs was intact, with just scattered dogwoods here and there. Nevertheless, I was able to find a couple of compositions with dogwoods juxtaposed against giant sequoia trunks.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the wake of the Ferguson Fire. We saw oaks and dogwoods crown sprouting along Highway 41. I’d guess that in a few years the dogwoods in the burned areas will rebound and proliferate, bringing more abundant spring blossoms and fall colors than we’ve seen in decades.
We’ve seen beautiful spring lupine blooms following previous fires; in fact I spotted a lupine already blooming in a recently-burned area – in October! And the heart of the Ferguson Fire was in the Merced River Canyon, where, with the right amount of rain this winter, we could see an exceptional poppy bloom next spring.
As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “Everything changes and nothing stands still.”
— Michael Frye
Dogwoods and giant sequoia, Yosemite. 81mm, 3 seconds at f/16, ISO 100, three images focus-stacked and blended with Helicon Focus.
Firs, dogwoods, and giant sequoia, Yosemite. 176mm, 6 seconds at f/16, ISO 100.
Dogwoods and vine maple, Yosemite. 70mm, 1.5 seconds at f/16, ISO 100.
Autumn leaves, Yosemite. 176mm, 15 seconds at f/16, ISO 100.
Black oak crown sprouting after the Ferguson Fire, Yosemite. iPhone raw capture. (Crews have cut down burned trees along roadways so that they don’t fall on cars.)
Related Posts: Rebirth; After the Fire; A Beautiful Autumn Day in Yosemite
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.
Spectacular. We were just in Yosemite all last week, but did not go to the grove. Thought about it seeing the great color as we came into the park from Tioga Pass. My father-in-law is 95 and he could not make the hike after having major surgery this summer. And my knee is not doing so well after my surgery, so we passed. Sorry we did, but it would have been a mistake to try it. Glad to see what it looked like through your eyes. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful! Always fun to get another blog with amazing images. How do I go about purchasing firs, dogwoods, and giant sequoia?
Thanks Larry! You can go to this page for more information about purchasing prints:
https://www.michaelfrye.com/portfolios/print-ordering/
Is the image firs, dogwoods, and giant sequoia in this latest blog available as a print? I’m not finding it on the site the link sent me to. No rush but wanting to get it in a 16” x 20.”
Have a good evening and thanks for sharing your gift.
Sorry that wasn’t clear, but yes, it’s available as a print. You won’t find it specifically listed on the page link I gave you; just order a 16×20 print, and send me an email letting me know which image you want.
Thanks Aram. I’m sorry you weren’t able to make it to the Tuolumne Grove, but I’m glad you saw great color in other places.
I’ve never been to America, so I’m thrilled that you can show us such gorgeous photos of your homeland.
HansComment
Thank you Hans, and I hope you get a chance to visit sometime.
Michael, thank you so much for these lovely images of blooming dogwoods in Yosemite and Tuolumne Grove. That grove, along with Mariposa, is one of the most special places on earth to me; I find its beauty and grandeur just breathtaking. I still have several cones I gathered there almost thirty years ago. Like Mr. Hiday, I was particularly taken with your image, Firs, dogwoods, and giant sequoia; great beauty in its simplicity—lovely composition. Is it possible that image might be offered for sale? I would love to have it on my wall. Many thanks, again.
Thank you Bob – I’m glad you like these images. Most of the images on my blog, including Firs, Dogwoods, and Giant Sequoia, are available as prints. Please visit this page to see the available sizes and prices:
https://www.michaelfrye.com/portfolios/print-ordering/
To order, select the size print you’d like, add it to your cart, checkout, and send me an email letting me know which image you’d like.
Hi Michael,
Love the contrast of the colors in this set of photos, especially against the Sequoia trunks – gorgeous!
Carol
Thanks Carol!
Hi Michael,
Love these images, and look forward to joining you one day to the Yosemite..
Just a quick question – what was the rationale for using the shutter speed chosen for each image. Seems rather long and difficult to hold particularly with foliage movement. Your comment please.
Thanks Ai Lin. The shutter speeds were chosen because the light was low. A shorter shutter speed would have underexposed the photograph, or required raising the ISO and increasing noise, or opening up the aperture and losing depth of field. Luckily the air was still, so I could use slow shutter speeds without the leaves moving.