Fire is one of the most beautiful and destructive forces in nature. On September 17 in San Francisco, “The Art of Fire” exhibit will open at the Harvey Milk Photography Center, with a reception from 6:30 pm – 9 pm. The exhibition will feature photographs of San Francisco Fire Department firefighters combatting beastly blazes throughout the city and will run until October 16, 2016.

“The Art of Fire” is a collaboration with featured work from photographers spanning many neighborhoods in the city and many years shooting. The images give a striking perspective, putting the viewer on the firehose, staring into the flames that threaten life and property.

The exhibition was curated by Dwayne Newton, a 23-year veteran of the San Francisco Fire Department and Flickr member. There are also images from San Francisco Chronicle news photographers, Flickr photographers, and a Pulitzer Prize winner. As ‘The Art Of Fire’ started coming together, Dwayne said he dug into Flickr, browsing the site to amass a collection of photographs of San Francisco fires and the SFFD in action. He then reached out to photographers directly to invite them and their work to the exhibit. Soon he had an aesthetically magnificent collection of amateur and professional photographers and their work.

‘The Art of Fire’ sponsors include San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation, S.F. Firefighters Local 798, the San Francisco Chronicle, and S.F. Recreation & Parks. The ‘Art of Fire’ images will also be featured in the inaugural gala for the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation on Saturday, March 4, 2017.

For more information about the exhibit and a list of featured SF photographers, go to the Harvey Milk Photography Center site.