This image was captured late in the afternoon of Sunday August 6th, 2000 from a bridge over the East Fork of the Bitterroot River just north of Sula, Montana by a fire behavior analyst by the name of John McColgan.

These elk sought refuge in the river bottom during what may have been the most extreme day of fire behavior on the Bitterroot in more than 70 years. The image was taken on a digital camera and as such there are no photographic negatives. The image may be freely downloaded at this address: http://fire.ak.blm.gov/

Since John was working while he took the picture, he cannot sell or profit from it, so he should at least be recognized as the photographer of this once-in-a-lifetime shot.

If you ever vist this page John, well done from all of us here at the WDAI!