Apparently this mill used irrigators to wet down the huge log piles. I imagine it was to prevent fire danger in the hot and dry Central Valley of California. I have decided to leave this shot in color because of the subtle tone that it casts. I feel that it takes the edge off an otherwise high contrast shot.
I think you are correct in your assumption, central california is very hot, and I would assume these logs would catch fire very easily. I alwasy said to myself, why are they watering dead trees there not going to grow :)
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{K:36599} 8/5/2004