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A year ago today

One of the hardest assignments I've faced so far in my career.

The aftermath of the Ringgold Fire.

Darrell McCoy walks through the burnt remains of his home in Ringgold, Texas, Monday, January 2, 2006, a day after a massive wildfire swept through the town between Henrietta and Nocona on Hwy. 82 in North Central Texas. The fast-moving fire prompted evacuations in Ringgold and Nocona, 15 miles away. No residents were injured, but 32 homes were destroyed. (AP Photo/Jason Palmer/Wichita Falls Times Record News)

This was the first and only time so far that I've called my mom and asked her to pray for me and the people I was going to meet.

The fire happened on a Sunday and I was the only photographer working on the Monday after, which was the company holiday.

The Associated Press called and requested me to be their official photographer. That meant that my photos would run in newspapers around the world from this tragedy.

No pressure.

I knew this was going to be a hard day, that's why I called my mom.

I like to think that I've been desensitized to bad things. It's my job to work at places where people have died and lost everything...that's the buisness. That's what I signed up for I guess.

But I haven't been to a scene like this where there is just total devastation. I've seen tornado damage, but there is at least pieces of stuff everywhere....when there's a big fire, there's just nothing left but black.

This photograph came after I decided to avoid the media throngs that had settled down on one area of Ringgold. I wanted to tell other stories.

I found Mr. McCoy standing in the middle of his auto yard with several other guys just looking around. It was the first time I've ever had to muster the courage to ask somebody if I could talk to them after they just lost everything hours before. Turns out...it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

I didn't ask many questions, just let him direct me around and show things. After a few minutes...he ducked his head and kinda kicked at the ground.

Click...I had my shot.

This ended up being the most used shot from the AP wire. It ran in newspapers and on websites from Lawton to the other side of the world in Sydney and Japan.

It was truely a day that I would never forget.

Firefighters from the Lakeside City Volunteer Fire Dept. battle flames burning on the near side of a fence along an irrigation channel near Navajo Trail off of Turkey Ranch Road and Ponderosa in western Wichita County Tuesday afternoon. Several homes were threatened by a fast-moving grass fire that started around 4 p.m. (Jason Palmer/Times Record News)

Actually...the Ringgold fire wasn't my first of the raging wildfire season last year...nor was it my last.

It seemed like I couldn't go a week without being thrust into danger and smoke during the winter. There was a break...but when the summer fire season hit, I was again in the middle of things, literally.

The first thing most people notice about this shot is that I'm on the wrong side of the fire.

That was true...and I stopped shooting fairly quickly and decided it was time to retreat.

My mom didn't want to know why I was that close or on that side. She hates this photo. For her, it shows how dangerous this job can be. I'd have to say that I agree with her.

I kinda ran to a spot (through an area that had just burned). The ground was still really hot, and there were flaming piles of cow manure. It melted part of my shoes. But I really wanted this shot.

If given the chance, I'd probably do it again....but only if the coin landed the right way.

Posted by Jason Palmer at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)