In August 2007 an extreme heatwave swept across Europe. In Greece this was coupled with high winds and prolonged dry weather. During the end of the month, fires broke in many parts of the country, sometimes simultaneously. Over the days from August 23 to 30, they raged, destructively consuming more than 3.000 squared kilometers of land, burning down 1.500 homes and causing the death of 63 persons.
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The Peloponnese was the hardest hit with the destruction of 4.5 million olive trees and the death of 60.000 animals. Historical and archaeological sites of unsurpassed natural beauty were threatened. The total cost of the catastrophe is estimated at 5 billion Euro.
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I had followed the tragedy with feelings of horror and extreme worry as the fires were destroying the beautiful landscape just north of my home town and were moving closer fast. Fortunately, they were extinguished on time.
As soon as they went out, I drove the 250 km to the afflicted area having understood the enormity and uniqueness of the situation and decided to document the effect fire had on nature.
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What I found was beyond any of my expectations. Monstrous shapes and otherworldly colors met my eye on the slopes and in the pine tree woods where the roots were still smoking.
I went on to photograph every week of the year for twelve months. Nature had overwhelmed me with her majestic healing process, which was visible day after day. I tried to come close to the beauty of this regeneration.
I photographed from the 31st of August 2007 to the same date in 2008
The images were then processed in Photoshop.
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A selection of 75 images was exhibited at Central Embassy, Bangkok on June 22, 2017
as one of the events under the main theme For a Greener World “Let’s give our home a future it deserves”.
The proceeds from the opening night auction were donated to the Green World Foundation
under the Royal Patronage of H.R.H Princess Galyani Vadhana Kromluang Naradhivas Rajanagarindra.
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SATELLITE IMAGES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FIRES
(August 23 – 26, 2007)
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Aftermath
(areas affected by fire in brown)
