Yosemite’s 2021 Firefall was ‘One of the Best Ever Seen.’ Here Are the Best Photos From the Natural Phenomenon.
The annual Firefall natural phenomenon peaked in late-February in Yosemite National Park, giving photographers and onlookers a show unlike any other seen on the planet.
The Firefall appears when there is water flowing from Horsetail Falls, which is typically a low-flow waterfall year round. In years when there is a lot of early-season precipitation in the mountains, the waterfall will come alive and give onlookers the show of a lifetime in the form of what looks to be a waterfall on fire. If there’s no water, there’s no Firefall.
As park officials dealt with the wave of crowds flocking to see the annual event, the perfect weather emerged, creating a perfect storm of events for onlookers. In the weeks since, photos and videos are flooding the internet, showing the event in rare form.
“Can’t say that be experienced anything like last night,” wrote Brett Macadam on Instagram. “We sat on this ledge for hours hoping the clouds would break. And once they did, we as a Yosemite collective were treated t one of the best firefalls ever seen. To hear people scream and cheer like a sporting event at a natural phenomenon was so incredible to be a part of.”
When it comes to Northern California’s photographers, the best-of-the-best showed out for the annual event, all producing unique imagery of the waterfall “on fire.” Here are some of the best photos from the special event in Yosemite:
