A photo of a woman carrying her dog with burned paws after a fire in Spokane was chosen as the October 2026 Photo of the Month by Editor & Publisher. The image captures Bobbi Atwood holding Luna, her dog, minutes after her home was reduced to ashes. The fire destroyed everything she had and also took several of her pets, who were unable to escape.
Luna survived with burns on her paws and body. In the photo, Atwood holds her in her arms with an expression blending relief and devastation, while firefighters work in the background and smoke still blankets the neighborhood. The scene captures what is often left out of the headlines: what is lost and what people try to save when nothing is left.
The jury praised the image’s narrative power and its ability to show the human cost of a disaster. The photo was taken by a local photojournalist and went viral within hours. Editor & Publisher chose it from dozens of submissions for the way it portrays the bond between a person and her pet amid tragedy, and for reminding us that even in the face of the greatest loss, someone is still holding on to what they love.
