The prisoner

A black bear awaits his release back into the wilds of Eglin Air Force Base’s range Oct. 23. The 325-pound bear was found along the Eglin property line near Fort Walton Beach, Fla. This wasn’t the first time the bear had to be relocated according to Florida Fish and Wildlife employees. This was the fourth bear relocation on Eglin this year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

The prisoner

A black bear awaits his release back into the wilds of Eglin Air Force Base’s range Oct. 23. The 325-pound bear was found along the Eglin property line near Fort Walton Beach, Fla. This wasn’t the first time the bear had to be relocated according to Florida Fish and Wildlife employees. This was the fourth bear relocation on Eglin this year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Trap is set

A bear trap is set up beside a trash container in Poquito Bayou, a section of base housing on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Sept. 10. Recent sightings of Florida Black Bears in the region have kept the FWC busy. According to 96th Civil Engineer Group wildlife management experts, people should make every attempt to secure their trash to prevent the bears from finding an easy food source, which eliminates their need to forage in the forest. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Bear bait

Andrew Jernigan, a wildlife technician with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, sets up the bait in a bear trap located in Poquito Bayou, a section of base housing on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Sept. 10. Recent sightings of Florida Black Bears in the region have kept the FWC busy. According to 96th Civil Engineer Group wildlife management experts, people should make every attempt to secure their trash to prevent the bears from finding an easy food source, which eliminates their need to forage in the forest. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Summer storms

A large-scale summer storm moves toward Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 30, bringing winds, rain and lightning. The thunderstorm moved in from the Southeast and drenched the base for an hour and a half late in the day. A similar storm rolled through the morning of July 31 as well. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Summer storms

A large-scale summer storm moves toward Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 30, bringing winds, rain and lightning. The thunderstorm moved in from the Southeast and drenched the base for an hour and a half late in the day. A similar storm rolled through the morning of July 31 as well. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Eglin wildfire

Currently, the wildfire is approximately 2,800 acres on Eglin's reservation just northwest of Hurlburt Field's runway in a swampy area that is not accessible by ground vehicles. This fire is a re-ignition of a prescribed burn held May 15, when conditions were perfect for burning. Fire is northwest of Hurlburt's runway in a swampy area inaccessible to ground equipment and personnel. No structures threatened at this time. The fire will continue to smolder until there's significant rainfall, according to Mike Spaits, Team Eglin Public Affairs. While the fire is still creating smoke, there is no immediate/near-term threat or danger to human health or local residences and Eglin is taking steps to abate long-term threats to the local area, according to Spaits. The fire did not grow overnight and a thunderstorm rained approximately one to one and a half inches. One helicopter is dropping water today. The fire is 90 percent contained. (Courtesy photo)

Eglin wildfire

Currently, the wildfire is approximately 2,800 acres on Eglin's reservation just northwest of Hurlburt Field's runway in a swampy area that is not accessible by ground vehicles. This fire is a re-ignition of a prescribed burn held May 15, when conditions were perfect for burning. Fire is northwest of Hurlburt's runway in a swampy area inaccessible to ground equipment and personnel. No structures threatened at this time. The fire will continue to smolder until there's significant rainfall, according to Mike Spaits, Team Eglin Public Affairs. While the fire is still creating smoke, there is no immediate/near-term threat or danger to human health or local residences and Eglin is taking steps to abate long-term threats to the local area, according to Spaits. The fire did not grow overnight and a thunderstorm rained approximately one to one and a half inches. One helicopter is dropping water today. The fire is 90 percent contained. (Courtesy photo)

Earth day event

(From left) Two members of the 6th Ranger Training Battalion reptile display greet Terry Yonkers, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, and Col. Sal Nodjomian, 96th Air Base Wing commander at an Earth Day event at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., April 20. More than 400 students from Eglin Elementary School attended the event which boasted displays on energy awareness, pollution prevention, wildlife, and cultural resources management. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Spaits)

Green greeting

Terry Yonkers, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, is welcomed by Eglin Elementary School students as he arrived at the Earth Day event at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., April 20. Yonkers was at Eglin attending the event with more than 400 students from the school. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Spaits)

Eco tour

Jerry Melvin, a local historian, shows off his collection of turpentine artifacts found throughout Eglin and the surrounding area. The turpentine industry was the primary industry in northwest Florida from the late 1800 to the early 1900s. The display was part of a walking “eco-tour” on Eglin reservation near White Point in celebration of Eglin’s Earth Week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Eco Trail tour

Brett Williams, 96th Civil Engineer Group fire ecologist with Jackson Guard, explains how the forests in and around Eglin reservation are “fire dependant” ecosystems, April 17. According to Williams, the forest requires fire every three years to maintain a sustainable habitat for the indigenous wildlife and vegetation. Many native plants and animal species depend on Eglin's fire-dependent long-leaf pine ecosystem, 11 of which are federally protected. Endangered species such as the red-cockaded woodpecker, depend on fire that is typically caused by either lightning strikes or Eglin's resident fire managers to survive. The display was part of a walking “eco-tour” on Eglin reservation near White Point in celebration of Eglin’s Earth Week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

April showers

Storm clouds roll in blanketing the sky over Post’l Point April 5 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The storm brought a quick, but heavy downpour of rain to the base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

April showers

Fishermen just keep fishing as a sheet of rain moves toward them at Eglin Air Force Base’s Post’l Point April 5. The rain storm brought a quick, but heavy downpour of rain to the base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Into the wild

A black bear is released back into the wilds of Eglin Air Force Base’s range March 27 after being relocated from Valparaiso, Fla., by the Florida Fish and Wildlife employees. Reports of the 2-year-old, 200-pound bear getting into people’s trash prompted the relocation. The FWC tagged the bear before its release. This was the first relocation this year. FWC officials say they perform three to four bear relocations per year in the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Mockingbird morning

A mockingbird peeks out of the top of the shrubbery in front of the Air Armament Center headquarters building the morning of Jan. 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The mockingbird is one of many wild birds within the Eglin range. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Solar pool

Newly installed black polypropylene solar panels with UV inhibitors actively heat the water of the Eglin Air Force Base pool. The new panels will heat the pool constantly from March to December. Every two minutes, 1,323 gallons of water cycle through the solar collectors absorbing the heat. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Solar pool

Newly installed black polypropylene solar panels with UV inhibitors actively heat the water of the Eglin Air Force Base pool. The new panels will heat the pool constantly from March to December. Every two minutes, 1,323 gallons of water cycle through the solar collectors absorbing the heat. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Winged Sentry

A red tailed hawk stands guard outside the front door of the Air Armament Center headquarters the morning of Oct. 11 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The hawk perched on the stair railing and watched military and civilians enter the building for more than five minutes before flying away. Red tailed hawks are just one of many bird-of-prey species that populate the Eglin reservation. Female red tails can weigh more than four pounds and have up to a 52 inch wingspan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

A dance with dragons

A dragonfly lands on top of the M-16 of an Airman participating in the Phase II exercise Aug. 10 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Dragonflies swarmed around the readiness exercise area throughout the day. Eglin Entomology believes the abundance of the flying dragons is due to weather and the amount flying insects that it brings such as mosquitoes and gnats. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Cloud cover

Firefighters from Jackson Guard's fire management section fly over the wildfires in a Bell 206B Jet Ranger helicopter June 22. The helicopter can carry up to 100 gallons of water in the "Bambi" bucket and place water strategically and safely. The helicopter is contracted to support Eglin's Fire Management Program in both prescribed burning and fire suppression efforts. The wildfires burned more than 15 acres of forest and threatened homes and businesses, but due to firefighting efforts no structures were damaged. (U.S. Air Force photo/Roger Kennedy)

Too close

Firefighters from Jackson Guard's fire management section fly over the wildfires in a Bell 206B Jet Ranger helicopter June 22. The helicopter can carry up to 100 gallons of water in the "Bambi" bucket and place water strategically and safely. The helicopter is contracted to support Eglin's Fire Management Program in both prescribed burning and fire suppression efforts. The wildfires burned more than 15 acres of forest and threatened homes and businesses, but due to firefighting efforts no structures were damaged. (U.S. Air Force photo/Roger Kennedy)

Hot response

Firefighters from Eglin Fire Department and Jackson Guard work with the Ocean City/Wright and Fort Walton Beach Fire Departments to contain two urban-interface wildfires within the same vicinity on Eglin reservation, June 22. Northwest Florida is in the midst of a severe drought and is 15 inches below normal rainfall for the year. The wildfires burned more than 15 acres of forest and threatened homes and businesses, but due to firefighting efforts no structures were damaged. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Spaits)

Arbor Day on Eglin

Col. Dave Maharrey, 96th Civil Engineer Group commander, and Maclin Williams, 796th Civil Engineer Squadron grounds supervisor, plant a live oak tree near the All Vets War Memorial on Eglin, Apr. 29. Arbor Day is a nationally-celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872, it's celebrated on the last Friday in April. (Air Force photo/Mike Spaits)