2025 AFE Photo Contest Winners

We are excited to announce the winners of this year’s photo contest! Read more about the winning photos below, and see all the photos that were submitted this year by searching Photo Contest 2025 on our photo gallery. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s photo contest!

AFE Photo Gallery

Overall Winner

Burned, Burning, and about to burn by Sarah cain

“This photo provides a unique perspective at fuel continuity and fire spread during a burn, as the fire splits down the middle of the photo and shows burned vegetation versus vegetation about to be burned. This photo was taken during a prescribed burn in North Carolina’s Sandhills region, conducted on June 18, 2025, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy as part of NC State University’s Fire Week training for Forest Management students.”

People and Fire Winner

Indigenous Women Lighting by Stormy Staats

“June 25th, 2024. Indigenous women lighting a prescribed burn on the Tishaniik Ceremonial Grounds using traditional tools during the 2024 Karuk Indigenous Women+ Prescribed Fire Training Exchange - Karuk Aboriginal Territory, Panamnik (Orleans) California.”

Fire Landscape Winner

Dots by Michael Horn

“At a late spring burn on the Bouverie Woodland Preserve in Sonoma County, California, the Audubon Canyon Ranch's Fire Forward program teaches prescribed fire patterns for the ecological restoration of these Oak Woodlands and invasive species control. Photo taken June 2024”

Animals and Fire Winner

Firehawk by Ivo Jacobs

“Understanding how animals flexibly adjust their behavior in response to shifting fire regimes informs conservation policies to help them navigate increasingly fiery times. This black kite (Milvus migrans) was particularly fearless, flying close to a rapidly advancing fire in Central Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia.”

After the Fire Winner

By Timon Keller

“Young lodgepole pines (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) emerge from the understory six years after the 2016 Berry Fire in Grand Teton National Park. Serotinous cones released seeds right after the fire, and germinants that established grow rapidly each year.”

Fire in Motion Winner

Mature Loblolly in the Stoddard Plots by Brandi Griffin

“Smoke billows from a mature Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) in the Stoddard fire interval research plots on Tall Timbers Research Station in Tallahassee, Florida. This particular plot has been burned on a 1year interval since 1960.”