what ever happened to that Smokey the Bear?

Wildfires in AZ/NM

"After reportedly being sparked by a campfire, the blaze has become the second-largest wildfire in state history and is still growing. "

Two years ago I was photographing landscapes for my Masters thesis on Francin this same area of Eastern Arizona. This wildfire has currently engulfed 600+ square miles of wilderness, displacing animals and forcing families to evacuate.

I heard on the news recently that this wildfire was the size of New York City. You can bet I am going to take a trip out west when I get some time off so I can document my same locations for comparison & reevaluation. I have some images from 2009 that were from Route 191, the Coronado Trail, that show forest life trying to restore itself after previous fires. Will post later..