IMAGES AND WORDS BY MYKLE PARKER

*Firefighters spend hours working to contain fires and new flare up during the Eaton Canyon Fire in Altadena, California on January 8, 2025.*

Smoke & Mirrors follows the long-term recovery of Los Angeles communities and ecosystems in the aftermath of the 2025 wildfires. Beginning with the immediate devastation—neighborhoods that resemble war zones, destroyed homes, and displaced residents and wildlife—the project documents both the physical and emotional toll of the fires. Beyond the flames, the fires introduced persistent environmental hazards, including ash and chemical runoff impacting soil, waterways, and marine ecosystems.

This project is a year-long visual and archival documentation of how communities and ecosystems navigate both immediate and long-term consequences of wildfire, emphasizing resilience, recovery, and local solutions. Media coverage often focuses on the spectacle of fire, but the enduring social, ecological, and infrastructural impacts remain underreported. Smoke & Mirrors seeks to fill that gap through photography that is ethically grounded, decolonized, and rooted in the lived experience of affected communities.

As an evacuee and Los Angeles resident, I am embedded in the fire zones, witnessing firsthand both destruction and resilience. I collaborate closely with Ashley Oelsen, Founder of the California Coastal Alliance and conservation biologist, who has been collecting soil and water samples in the Pacific Palisades scar zone for five years prior to the fires and continued her monitoring afterward. Ashley’s work combines scientific rigor with grassroots advocacy, citizen science, and community engagement. Together, we document the interplay between human recovery and environmental restoration, showing post-fire impacts on waterways, wildlife, and community health.

Smoke & Mirrors highlights human resilience and community-led responses, portraying neighbors, volunteers, and grassroots organizations supporting one another when institutional resources are limited. It also documents ecological recovery, wildlife rehabilitation, fire-resilient rebuilding, and long-term adaptation strategies, illustrating the interconnected fates of humans and the environment.