Evacuation orders are in effect in southwestern Colorado, where a wildfire is raging in the San Juan National Forest. The latest reports on the 416 fire, as it is being called, say that the blaze is estimated to be about 23,378 acres in size, and, thanks to the work of over 900 firefighters, 15 percent of it has been contained. As of now, no one has been injured, and no homes have been lost, but the evacuation of residents of over 2,000 homes, as well as the devastation of an ongoing crisis, is of great national concern.
On Saturday, Sara and Michael Kramer of Fort Collins, Colorado, were set to get married at a wedding venue in the San Juan National Forest, but the location had to be moved to a relative's property due to the disaster.
At sunset, they had a couple of romantic photos taken of themselves embracing as the smoke from the fire billowed behind them like tangerine clouds. The photos, taken by photographer Alexi Hubbell, are visually stunning.
As they went viral online, many social media users complained that it was insensitive to use a natural disaster as the backdrop to a wedding photo. But they were appeased by the captions to the photos.
Hubbell wrote that the images were "not meant to glorify the situation here in Durango or minimize the impact it is having on our town and the economy or what the families that have been evacuated are going through. We fully understand everyone's pain. We are in this together!' He also shared the address for the Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado for their Community Emergency Relief Fund, where people can send donations, and thanked the "fire fighters on the ground trying to contain this thing!"
Sara Kramer shared another gorgeous wedding photo, along with the address where people could send money to help communities affected by the wildfire.
"We are in absolute awe of our friends, family, photographer, and vendors who made this incredible wedding come to life," she also wrote. "The 416 fire forced us to change venues last minute and it was a little hectic. Thank you to the firefighters working hard to keep the Durango community safe, we are so grateful. What an unbelievable weekend."
No doubt thanks to the sensitive way they handled things, the photos are now being hailed on Twitter as an example of people making the best out of a bad situation.
For more incredible wedding photos, check out the Breathtaking Photos from Kate Upton's Magical Wedding Day.
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