This trail camera melted in a wildfire, but the memory card – and the images of the fire – survived
Photos from a melted trail camera are going viral for the immersive view inside one of the Nebraska wildfires
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Trail cameras are meant to capture what happens in the forest when no humans are there to witness it – but one camera has captured visuals of what it’s like to be immersed in a wildfire.
Last week, multiple wildfires burned through sections of central and western Nebraska. As of March 14, officials estimated around 600,000 acres have been affected, making the wildfire one of the biggest in the state’s history.
Trail camera owner Jordan Adams knew the wildfires had gone through the rural Brady, Nebraska area where his trail camera was, and so he went out to see what was left. He found his non-cellular Tasco trail camera had melted.
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However, when Adams brought what was left of the camera home and peeled it apart, he was surprised to find the memory card intact inside.
The trail camera managed to capture several fiery photographs before its demise. Adams described his reaction as “utter amazement and excitement to see just what the camera had caught.”




Adams shared the photos with the Trail Camera Junkies Facebook group, where several users described similar experiences in catching a wildfire on a trail camera – and even some trail cameras that were high enough on the tree to survive.
The wildfire that melted Adam’s camera was one of three wildfires in the region that began on March 12 – one of those fires is now being described as the largest in Nebraska’s history. As of Sunday, March 15, firefighters were still working to contain the fires.
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With more than a decade of experience writing about cameras and technology, Hillary K. Grigonis leads the US coverage for Digital Camera World. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, Digital Trends, Pocket-lint, Rangefinder, The Phoblographer, and more. Her wedding and portrait photography favors a journalistic style. She’s a former Nikon shooter and a current Fujifilm user, but has tested a wide range of cameras and lenses across multiple brands. Hillary is also a licensed drone pilot.
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