You probably all know that there have been several very large fires in Arizona this summer. Ever wonder what a mountain stream looks like after a forest fire? Here’s an example from Sabino Canyon in Tucson, AZ after the Aspen Fire a few years back:
Sabino Canyon after the Aspen Fire. Photo by Dave Walker.
Notice how the water is black? It was full of ash from the fire that had been washed downstream during the monsoons. The water even smelled like a campfire! And what I’m doing in this photo, sampling in the stream downstream of a major burn area as a monsoon storm rolls in – that’s dangerous and you shouldn’t do it. Made for an awfully pretty photo though!
(Just so there’s no confusion, I’m collecting bugs in that photo, NOT spearing fish. Everyone seems to think I’m spearing fish when they see this…)
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The Dragonfly Woman 
Wow, that is a wicked photo, although the circumstances surrounding it could be better!
Thanks! This is one of my very favorite photos of me.
I am glad you made it out before the monsoon hit! It is amazing how dangerous field biology actually is. There are so many stories my mother has never heard, just for that reason!
I didn’t make it out before the monsoon hit. I was scrambling out of the stream when this massive storm came blasting through the canyon. I got wetter faster than I ever have in my life! Thankfully, we made it out safely before the stream flooded, but we were rushing as fast as possible in an attempt to get out unscathed. Kinda scary, but it was SO beautiful too!
Why would anyone go fishing for spears? I thought spears were plains creatures.
Ha ha! Love it!