Squamish photographer Jillian A. Brown has taken some of the most powerful images of the Dryden Creek wildfire that have been shared by many in town, including by Squamish Fire Rescue.
On the other side of the lens, she tells The 小蓝视频 that seeing the community come together in the wake of this crisis has been equally powerful for her.
"One of the most impactful stories and things that I witnessed was on June 10, when the fire reached the MTN Fun Basecamp campground. The owners, as well as a couple of campers who were there, were all working to protect this one trailer that was a longtime resident," she said. The residents, seniors, had left to stay with family.
"They left and went to their daughter's house, and had to leave everything behind. Well, the owners of the campground and these other campers grabbed hoses, and they were doing everything they could to protect that camper from that fire."
The trailer was saved.
Brown has also seen through her lens all the agencies working together to keep the town safe: from personnel from Squamish Fire Rescue, 小蓝视频 Wildfire Service, Whistler Fire Department firefighters, FireSmart, RCMP, Miller Capilano and Lil虛wat Forestry Ventures, among others.
She also has seen the outpouring of support from locals for those battling the blaze.
“A family came with seven pizzas from Domino's and a whole bunch of coffee," she recalled.
She has seen the coming together of the community from the start of the blaze on June 10, she said.
On Monday, she saw the early hours of the fire when she was out walking her dog.
"I immediately headed home and grabbed my camera because, for Squamish, that's a pretty big event, especially so close,” she said.
There were a lot of people out watching it, she noted.
"There were people everywhere, and everyone was just so friendly, which was so shocking, because this is something that's so potentially devastating and scary, and yet everyone was just mesmerized by it," she said.
"It was so neat ... in that way, how much it brought the community together. [It’s] shared potential trauma... So you're like, let's talk about everything else and get to know my neighbours now that we might not be neighbours anymore."
Photography advice
While wildfires make stunning images, there is an ethical way to go about it, Brown stressed.
First, there is no drone use allowed within 9.3 kilometres of a wildfire.
For comparison, that is the distance from Garibaldi Highlands to Brackendale and a bit beyond. Regardless of whether there is a wildfire or not, drones are not allowed in 小蓝视频 Parks, such as the currently closed Alice Lake or Stawamus Chief provincial parks.
Brown also keeps a safe distance from the wildfire and those fighting it.
Photos of flames, for example, were taken using a telephoto zoom.
"Typically at max, and that's like 400 millimetres," she noted. "So I'm not like standing right at the fire, about to catch fire, to take those photos."
She also talks to the people who may end up in her images and is clear about what she is doing.
"I make a point of talking to people and not trying to force my way in or sneak in, in any way," she said.
"There are journalists and people out there who kind of push their way in and get in the way and try to get a story. And this is the people's homes and lives that are affected by this. So, be respectful of that," she said.
"I won't go and knock on a door and ask. If they're outside, I'll talk to them and be like, ‘Do you mind? Is it OK?’ ... If there's any hesitation—if you can tell that they're slightly uncomfortable with it—just respect that they're going through something traumatizing and impactful and could ruin their lives potentially."
Find more of Brown's work on her .
