100 years of fire suppression at Perry Park

These pictures show some of the changes in what William Henry Jackson called Pleasant Park, but is currently called Perry Park. Jackson's pictures were taken in the 1870's before logging began in the area. The re-creations were taken in 2002 as a project to show the residents of Perry Park how a hundred years of fire supression had allowed an overpopulation of trees, especially Gambel Oak and Douglas Fir. The residents have been working hard to mitigate their lots, and Perry Park is now one of the Firewise Communities. The evacuation during the Hayman Fire of 2002 was a great motivator. In Jackson's pictures the sky is hazy, while there is very little haze in the re-creations. In the 1870's forest fires were usually burning at a low level, making the air hazy, but removing the undergrowth.