The photography, which was popularized through a retweet by The Wire’s David Simon on Twitter, shows golfers playing while the Eagle Creek forest fires rage in the background.
The photo is an iconic representation of the social foundation of the climate crisis, but the situation itself appears to be slightly taken out of context. The photographer explains: “I understand why the picture is seen as a metaphor for climate change. But according to reports, the fire was caused by a 15-year-old, who tried to throw a firework in Punch Bowl Falls. He missed and started a load of havoc. People say it was dangerous to be out there, but that’s not true. The fire was more than a mile away across the river, and although embers can cross water, a fire needs fuel to burn. The golf course was well watered with no dry trees. You couldn’t even feel the heat from where we were.”