Via Instagram @coletteleclair_Life & Culture / NewsLife & Culture / NewsAn influencer got called out for using the US wildfires as a photo oppObviouslyShareLink copied ✔️September 15, 2020September 15, 2020Text Brit Dawson Since early August, wildfires have devastated California, Oregon, and Washington, burning millions of acres of land, destroying thousands of homes, and killing over 30 people. So, obviously, these locations are now the perfect backdrop for your next Instagram photo opp. According to one influencer, anyway. Colette LeClair, a blogger based in California, has shared two images on her Instagram which see her posing on a beach with San Francisco’s wildfire smoke all around her. According to PAPER, in the original caption, LeClair told her followers it was her last day in the city before moving to LA, before attempting to sell them the dress she’s wearing in the photo. The post, with the initial caption, was shared to Twitter, where it went viral. LeClair has since edited the caption, which now reads: “My last day here! Wanted to say goodbye to the ocean and beach and do something I used to enjoy so much here for years – TRIPOD PHOTOS.” Instead of trying to sell the dress, LeClair said she’s now “gathering a lot of clothes to donate”, adding that the item she’s wearing won’t “make it with me to LA, but there might be someone here who will adore it”. She concluded: “To clarify – I drove to the beach on my last night in town and took photos, I love taking photos. I hve taken photos for the last three years in this city. I love this city. There have been fires going on for weeks in California. It is devastating. Prayers for people dealing with the fires. SENDING YOU ALL LOVE.” LeClair isn’t the first influencer to use tragedy or urgent activism for Instagram likes. In June, as the Black Lives Matter movement took off, white Instagram influencers began posing at protests for clout, while others started doing blackface to ‘show solidarity’ with BLM. Last year, Dazed unpacked the rise of the tragedy selfie, which saw influencers pose at sites of disaster, including Chernobyl and Grenfell Tower. Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.TrendingMet Gala 2026: Dazed editors pick who they want to see on the red carpetFrom Michaela Stark to Gabe Gordon – and a classic McQueen showpiece – the Dazed team are manifesting these looks on the Met stepsFashionFilm & TVWhat do sex workers actually think of Euphoria?Oakley FashionGoing ‘field mode’ with Roger ScottLife & Culture‘She was secretly the landlord’: Readers on their housemate horror storiesBeautyNude awakening: Meet the young people embracing naturismArt & PhotographyIn pictures: Petra Collins’ dark, 00s popstar fantasyArt & PhotographyThe most loved photo stories of April 2026FashionThe biggest fashion collaborations you missed in AprilLife & CultureWhy are we still surprised when hot people get cheated on?Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy