Five years ago this month, on September 9, 2020, residents across the Bay Area awoke to an extraordinary sight: a dark, brownish-orange sky. This phenomenon, which quickly became known as 'Orange Sky Day,' resulted from a unique combination of dense wildfire smoke and a low-lying marine fog layer. The event captured global attention and left a lasting impression on those who witnessed it, including photojournalist Jessica Christian, whose iconic image from that day went viral.
Key Takeaways
- September 9, 2020, marked 'Orange Sky Day' in the Bay Area, caused by wildfires and fog.
- Photojournalist Jessica Christian documented the event, capturing a widely shared image.
- The day occurred during widespread protests and the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Technical challenges, like white balance, were significant for photographers.
- The experience highlighted community connection during a period of isolation.
The Unsettling Morning of Orange Sky Day
On that Wednesday morning, many Bay Area residents experienced confusion upon waking. The sky was an unnatural color, making it difficult to determine the time of day. Jessica Christian, a photojournalist, recalled her initial disorientation in Oakland. "My room didn’t have curtains and it was so dark outside that my brain couldn’t process if it was day or night, let alone understand why the sky was a brownish orange color," she stated.
Social media platforms like Twitter quickly filled with questions. People sought explanations for the unusual darkness and the safety of outdoor conditions. Despite the lack of immediate answers, a clear sense emerged that this was a significant, unprecedented event.
Fast Fact
The dark orange sky was caused by sunlight filtering through a thick layer of wildfire smoke from multiple blazes across California and the Pacific Northwest, trapped beneath a low marine fog layer.
Documenting a Unique Historical Moment
Christian, although not scheduled to work that day, recognized the historical importance of the orange sky. Her journalistic instincts prompted her to begin documenting the event. She started by taking pictures from her window before deciding to travel to San Francisco to capture the broader impact.
Her goal was to photograph iconic locations that would convey both the bizarre sky and public reactions. She drove across the Bay Bridge, capturing images of the journey. Her route included a well-known view of the bridge from Harrison Street and then led her towards the Embarcadero.
"I knew this was something big. I wasn’t supposed to be working that day, but the journalist alarms in my brain were firing," Jessica Christian explained about her decision to document the event.
Community in a Time of Isolation
The year 2020 was marked by global challenges. Months before Orange Sky Day, widespread protests against George Floyd's murder had occurred. The world was also deep into the COVID-19 pandemic, which claimed over 3 million lives that year. Social distancing measures had kept cities unusually quiet for months.
Christian noted a striking observation upon reaching the Embarcadero. "The city had been eerily quiet for at least six months, so I remember the first thought I had wasn’t of the sky, but it was the surprise of being surrounded by so many strangers for the first time in a very long time," she recalled. People had emerged from their homes and offices, drawn together by the strange sky, seeking answers and connection. This unexpected sense of community, amidst fear, became a powerful memory.
The Iconic Photograph and Its Subject
The specific photograph that gained widespread recognition was taken at 9:48 a.m. It depicted a man named Eli Harik looking up at the orange sky, with a seagull nearby. Christian spoke with Harik after taking the picture, both sharing their disbelief at the situation. At the time, she wondered if his mask was for wildfire smoke protection or COVID-19 prevention, a detail that now reflects the complex reality of that period.
The image's popularity led to Harik being recognized by friends and family online. He and Christian remain connected on social media. The photograph's composition, with Harik and the seagull sharing a moment of observation, added to its compelling nature.
Background on the Phenomenon
The orange glow was temporary, lasting only a few hours. It was illuminated by the low angle of the morning sun passing through the dense smoke and fog layers. Experts confirmed this was a rare occurrence, potentially a once-in-a-lifetime event for the region.
Technical Challenges for Photographers
Capturing the true color of the sky presented significant technical challenges for photographers. White balance, a camera setting that ensures white appears accurately, was particularly difficult to manage. Most cameras use automatic settings, but the intense orange light confused these systems, often rendering the sky with a greenish tint.
Christian had to manually adjust her camera's color temperature. "To represent what was true to the eye, I had to manually adjust the color temperature of my camera to reflect what I was actually seeing," she explained. Her metadata showed a Kelvin temperature of 3000, necessary to accurately capture the sky's actual hue. She often had to defend her work against online comments suggesting she had artificially boosted saturation.
- White Balance: Crucial for accurate color representation.
- Automatic Settings: Failed to correctly interpret the unusual light.
- Manual Adjustment: Required to capture the sky's true orange color.
- Kelvin Temperature: Set to 3000 to achieve visual accuracy.
Lasting Impact and Recognition
Looking back, Christian reflects on the profound impact of Orange Sky Day. At the time, she was focused on her work, but the experience rekindled her passion for photojournalism. The unexpected community interaction on the Embarcadero, a simple act of talking to strangers, stood out during a period of intense isolation.
The widespread sharing of her photographs led to significant professional recognition. Her phone received constant notifications for a week. Notably, former President Barack Obama shared her images on his social media channels, providing full credit. This exposure significantly boosted her profile.
Notable Achievement
One of Jessica Christian's photographs from Orange Sky Day was selected for TIME's top 100 photos of the year, underscoring its impact and artistic merit.
A Mix of Emotions Five Years On
Today, Christian views the photograph with a mix of emotions. It evokes an "unsettling catch in [her] throat," combining the excitement of capturing a historic moment with the lingering fear and confusion of the day itself. The memory encompasses not just the wildfires, but also the summer of protests and the ongoing pandemic.
Despite the challenges of the time, she also feels a "strange, nostalgic fondness" for the period. It reminds her of a certain ignorance about how much worse things could have been, and the eventual hope that conditions would improve. The image serves as a powerful reminder of a unique moment when fear and community converged, prompting reflection on where people were when the Bay Area sky turned orange.