The new special exhibition,
Fire on the Mountain: Photographs of Wildland Firefighting by Kyle Miller, opens to the public on Saturday, October 26 at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Printed on metal, these vibrant images explore the complexities of wildland fires and the brave people who combat them.
These are the images of Kyle Miller, who captures them during spare moments while working as a Wyoming Hotshot Firefighter and Captain. The photos show intense flames, dramatic skies, fellow firefighters at work, aircraft dropping fire retardant, ember trails, a "fire whirl," and more.
Kyle began photographing wildfires in 2004 while serving on a fire crew in Montana. Over the past 20 years, he has gradually upgraded his camera equipment to better capture the fleeting moments of these intense natural events.
A resident of Cody, Wyoming, Kyle joined the Wyoming Interagency Hotshot crew in 2010. Hotshots are highly trained, specialized wildland firefighters who use various ground tactics and hand tools to slow and stop fires from spreading. The work is physically strenuous, mentally taxing, and requires a high level of conditioning in both body and mind.
The images in this exhibition highlight two primary themes: Fire Ecology and the Human Element of Wildland Firefighting. As you explore the sampling of images here, reflect on how wildfires impact your life and influence the landscapes of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The exhibition will be on view through July 27, 2025.