The Tubbs Fire, Santa Rosa, CA
What a tragedy. When The Tubbs Fire started on Tubbs Lane in Santa Rosa, California in 2017, it quickly burned out of control. The result was more than 5000 buildings destroyed. This drone photo documents several city blocks having been wiped away by the fire. Sadly, 22 people lost their lives in the fire.
It also caused over a billion dollars in damage. On a positive note, thanks to modern technology including drones, it’s possible to enter extremely dangerous areas much more quickly than before in order to plan and implement assistance efforts. If only technology could help prevent fires just as easily.
Orcas Feasting on Great Whale
Remember when we watched “Free Willy” in the early ‘90s and all everyone wanted was a pet orca? Bad idea! Willy in the film might’ve been adorable, but how did everyone forget he’s a killer whale? Only one the deadliest predators of the sea?!
This drone image is just a tiny example of how powerful and vicious they can be. It captures the moment when a pod of orcas decided to hunt, kill, and eat a giant whale. That’s right, a giant whale! Far from a pleasant sight, but a valuable document of nature’s fury, and the circle of life.
Sinkhole
What a crazy thing to happen right in the middle of a neighborhood. Freaky. We can’t help imagining: what if it was our house that got sucked into the bowels of the earth all of a sudden? How does this happen? Incompetent construction?
Earthquake? Flash flood? Maybe it’s a combination of factors. Either way, it’s horrifying. One minute you’re at home enjoying dinner in front of the TV, and the next moment, your house is a pile of rubble deep in the earth! It is as if the devil himself is dragging everything you own into the depths of hell.
Low Flying Airplane
Ok, something seems a bit off here. Is this jet plane flying way too low, or is the parking lot way too close to the runway? While perfect for plane spotters looking for a thrill, it’s dangerous in every other way.
Each landing has got to be a close shave for both the cars and the plane. Whatever it is, this does not seem like a safe situation to me and smacks of poor planning. Did you notice the airplane’s shadow on the parking lot? It’s the same size as the plane! That’s how you can tell how low it’s flying.
Active Volcano
Lava has got to be one of the scariest of natural phenomena. Spewing, hot, and forceful, lava is the closest we will ever get to sensing the earth’s heart. She’s alive and well, and let nobody forget that! What makes a photo a guaranteed winner?
One that shows a natural landscape along with some sort of example of the awesome power of nature – especially at such close quarters. And this picture certainly has it all. Well done to the drone pilot. One of the hottest things in nature, it’s hard not to imagine what lava would do to us if we ever got too close. Not that there’s much chance of that, of course. We're keeping our distance.