when you’re getting kind of right up close to the fire and really kind of
close to the fire and really kind of
close to the fire and really kind of intimate with the fire and you’re
intimate with the fire and you’re
intimate with the fire and you’re digging your heads down and your
digging your heads down and your
digging your heads down and your scratching line you’re down in the dirt
scratching line you’re down in the dirt
scratching line you’re down in the dirt and you’re working and sweating and it’s
and you’re working and sweating and it’s
and you’re working and sweating and it’s hot and it’s hard to breathe you’re
hot and it’s hard to breathe you’re
hot and it’s hard to breathe you’re choking because of the smoke your eyes
choking because of the smoke your eyes
choking because of the smoke your eyes are burning and you’re you just right up
are burning and you’re you just right up
are burning and you’re you just right up against it and you look up and there are
against it and you look up and there are
against it and you look up and there are fire worlds which are like a tornado of
fire worlds which are like a tornado of
fire worlds which are like a tornado of fire literally and these fire whirls are
fire literally and these fire whirls are
fire literally and these fire whirls are six feet around and they’re almost 70
six feet around and they’re almost 70
six feet around and they’re almost 70 feet tall there’s tall as a tree it’s
feet tall there’s tall as a tree it’s
feet tall there’s tall as a tree it’s just a moment that you’re terrified and
just a moment that you’re terrified and
just a moment that you’re terrified and in awe all at the same time because
in awe all at the same time because
in awe all at the same time because there’s nothing there in your experience
there’s nothing there in your experience
there’s nothing there in your experience to help you to really grasp the gravity
to help you to really grasp the gravity
to help you to really grasp the gravity of the situation that you’re in right
of the situation that you’re in right
of the situation that you’re in right then
what they are seeing is scary what they
what they are seeing is scary what they are seeing is not what they’re used to
are seeing is not what they’re used to
are seeing is not what they’re used to at all and that’s terrifying
Colorado used to be considered we called
Colorado used to be considered we called it the asbestos State because it just
it the asbestos State because it just
it the asbestos State because it just was not a significant fire environment
was not a significant fire environment
was not a significant fire environment State and in the last 10 years that
State and in the last 10 years that
State and in the last 10 years that significantly changed in 2010 we had the
significantly changed in 2010 we had the
significantly changed in 2010 we had the four-mile fire within two years of the
four-mile fire within two years of the
four-mile fire within two years of the four-mile fire the record for most
four-mile fire the record for most
four-mile fire the record for most destructive fires was eclipsed twice and
destructive fires was eclipsed twice and
destructive fires was eclipsed twice and since then it’s been eclipsed I think
since then it’s been eclipsed I think
since then it’s been eclipsed I think two more times
two more times
two more times 10-day fires four day fires three day
10-day fires four day fires three day
10-day fires four day fires three day fires I was kind of the norm not two
fires I was kind of the norm not two
fires I was kind of the norm not two week three week two month all summer
week three week two month all summer
week three week two month all summer long
long
long we’re being confronted in and asked to
we’re being confronted in and asked to
we’re being confronted in and asked to suppress or battle fires that didn’t
suppress or battle fires that didn’t
suppress or battle fires that didn’t exist
exist
exist twenty years ago the Heyman fire from
twenty years ago the Heyman fire from
twenty years ago the Heyman fire from 2002 is in my opinion probably one of
2002 is in my opinion probably one of
2002 is in my opinion probably one of the best indicators of the impacts of
the best indicators of the impacts of
the best indicators of the impacts of climate change along the Front Range of
climate change along the Front Range of
climate change along the Front Range of Colorado here we had not seen large
Colorado here we had not seen large
Colorado here we had not seen large plume dominated fires we had what we
plume dominated fires we had what we
plume dominated fires we had what we called one-day wonders when it was windy
called one-day wonders when it was windy
called one-day wonders when it was windy the fire would grow but when the wind
the fire would grow but when the wind
the fire would grow but when the wind stopped the the fire would basically go
stopped the the fire would basically go
stopped the the fire would basically go out haman fire was not like that when we
out haman fire was not like that when we
out haman fire was not like that when we were on the Heyman fire watching you
were on the Heyman fire watching you
were on the Heyman fire watching you know a 5-mile run through the through
know a 5-mile run through the through
know a 5-mile run through the through the canopy and and and just knowing that
the canopy and and and just knowing that
the canopy and and and just knowing that that’s not what’s supposed to happen
that’s not what’s supposed to happen
that’s not what’s supposed to happen well there are many reasons from that it
well there are many reasons from that it
well there are many reasons from that it comes down to talking about drought
comes down to talking about drought
comes down to talking about drought stressed trees lack of spring moisture
stressed trees lack of spring moisture
stressed trees lack of spring moisture and higher than normal temperatures and
and higher than normal temperatures and
and higher than normal temperatures and those combined created and signaled
those combined created and signaled
those combined created and signaled really a shift in the fire environment
really a shift in the fire environment
really a shift in the fire environment along the Front Range we saw fire
along the Front Range we saw fire
along the Front Range we saw fire behavior we haven’t seen before and
behavior we haven’t seen before and
behavior we haven’t seen before and little did we know that was the
little did we know that was the
little did we know that was the precursor to what we’re seeing today and
precursor to what we’re seeing today and
precursor to what we’re seeing today and it’s become the new norm responded 7104
it’s become the new norm responded 7104
it’s become the new norm responded 7104 Mile Canyon Drive for trees that are
Mile Canyon Drive for trees that are
Mile Canyon Drive for trees that are 10:03 I got a page letting me know
10:03 I got a page letting me know
10:03 I got a page letting me know there’s a new fire start in Four Mile
there’s a new fire start in Four Mile
there’s a new fire start in Four Mile Canyon in every single CH I got the page
Canyon in every single CH I got the page
Canyon in every single CH I got the page at the same time one of my best friends
at the same time one of my best friends
at the same time one of my best friends rod moraga got the page I got a page too
rod moraga got the page I got a page too
rod moraga got the page I got a page too for the fire and jokingly you know said
for the fire and jokingly you know said
for the fire and jokingly you know said to my wife you know it’s the big one and
to my wife you know it’s the big one and
to my wife you know it’s the big one and kind of laughed and said I’ll see in an
kind of laughed and said I’ll see in an
kind of laughed and said I’ll see in an hour
hour
hour something like that and I walked out the
something like that and I walked out the
something like that and I walked out the door and was like holy smokes this thing
door and was like holy smokes this thing
door and was like holy smokes this thing is going to go big rod lives there I had
is going to go big rod lives there I had
is going to go big rod lives there I had a pretty narrow view of the fire and was
a pretty narrow view of the fire and was
a pretty narrow view of the fire and was focused immediately on how do we put it
focused immediately on how do we put it
focused immediately on how do we put it out what I think was a microburst just
out what I think was a microburst just
out what I think was a microburst just came down on us probably 3040 miles an
came down on us probably 3040 miles an
came down on us probably 3040 miles an hour and that fire just fanned and and
hour and that fire just fanned and and
hour and that fire just fanned and and probably tripled in size within 15
probably tripled in size within 15
probably tripled in size within 15 minutes the conditions were extreme and
minutes the conditions were extreme and
minutes the conditions were extreme and I was very scared
I was very scared
I was very scared I’ve never been in a situation before
I’ve never been in a situation before
I’ve never been in a situation before where I’ve been that surrounded by fire
where I’ve been that surrounded by fire
where I’ve been that surrounded by fire where we were literally going
where we were literally going
where we were literally going house-to-house trying to protect
house-to-house trying to protect
house-to-house trying to protect property trying to save structures I at
property trying to save structures I at
property trying to save structures I at one point had a an engine it was
one point had a an engine it was
one point had a an engine it was assigned to my crew wanting to turn the
assigned to my crew wanting to turn the
assigned to my crew wanting to turn the assignment down I was absolutely
assignment down I was absolutely
assignment down I was absolutely convinced people were going to die
convinced people were going to die
convinced people were going to die somewhere during the day I I started
somewhere during the day I I started
somewhere during the day I I started thinking about my house what was ironic
thinking about my house what was ironic
thinking about my house what was ironic was that I had assigned all the fire
was that I had assigned all the fire
was that I had assigned all the fire engines and there were no more fire
engines and there were no more fire
engines and there were no more fire engines so I basically just watch until
engines so I basically just watch until
engines so I basically just watch until it hit my house and then I just turned
it hit my house and then I just turned
it hit my house and then I just turned around left because I didn’t really you
around left because I didn’t really you
around left because I didn’t really you know there’s not much else to do when we
know there’s not much else to do when we
know there’s not much else to do when we see fuel loads that have increased over
see fuel loads that have increased over
see fuel loads that have increased over time when we see weather and climatology
time when we see weather and climatology
time when we see weather and climatology that has gone to extremes we don’t have
that has gone to extremes we don’t have
that has gone to extremes we don’t have a fire season we we have a year-round
a fire season we we have a year-round
a fire season we we have a year-round fire season and
fire season and
fire season and any any month of the year is conducive
any any month of the year is conducive
any any month of the year is conducive to wildfire
on October 9th in 2012 I was dispatched
on October 9th in 2012 I was dispatched to a fire in Rocky Mountain National
to a fire in Rocky Mountain National
to a fire in Rocky Mountain National Park that right there is an outlier it’s
Park that right there is an outlier it’s
Park that right there is an outlier it’s a novel event Rocky Mountain National
a novel event Rocky Mountain National
a novel event Rocky Mountain National Park does not have fires in October the
Park does not have fires in October the
Park does not have fires in October the risk to firefighters was hide the costs
risk to firefighters was hide the costs
risk to firefighters was hide the costs were high to suppress the fire against a
were high to suppress the fire against a
were high to suppress the fire against a less than 1% chance that the fire was
less than 1% chance that the fire was
less than 1% chance that the fire was actually going to do anything we decided
actually going to do anything we decided
actually going to do anything we decided to back off let the fire kind of do its
to back off let the fire kind of do its
to back off let the fire kind of do its own thing for another week or two
own thing for another week or two
own thing for another week or two season-ending event would come in and
season-ending event would come in and
season-ending event would come in and the fire would go out so nearly two
the fire would go out so nearly two
the fire would go out so nearly two months later the fire was still going
months later the fire was still going
months later the fire was still going and strong winds came up one night and
and strong winds came up one night and
and strong winds came up one night and pushed the fire three miles in the night
pushed the fire three miles in the night
pushed the fire three miles in the night at night in practically December
at night in practically December
at night in practically December throughout the night we’re still having
throughout the night we’re still having
throughout the night we’re still having active intense fire temperatures aren’t
active intense fire temperatures aren’t
active intense fire temperatures aren’t cooling off as much I think that the
cooling off as much I think that the
cooling off as much I think that the fire environment is changing so
fire environment is changing so
fire environment is changing so dramatically and so dynamically because
dramatically and so dynamically because
dramatically and so dynamically because of our environment in general they’re
of our environment in general they’re
of our environment in general they’re faster moving more destructive they’re
faster moving more destructive they’re
faster moving more destructive they’re more volatile there are fires that have
more volatile there are fires that have
more volatile there are fires that have burned downhill over long stretches
burned downhill over long stretches
burned downhill over long stretches which kind of flies in the face of
which kind of flies in the face of
which kind of flies in the face of convention because fire wants to move
convention because fire wants to move
convention because fire wants to move uphill on a day-to-day basis we’re being
uphill on a day-to-day basis we’re being
uphill on a day-to-day basis we’re being surprised and in this business surprises
surprised and in this business surprises
surprised and in this business surprises what kills people
from where I live in Northside Colorado
from where I live in Northside Colorado Springs I got a good view right at the
Springs I got a good view right at the
Springs I got a good view right at the fire area initially I was having a hard
fire area initially I was having a hard
fire area initially I was having a hard time grasping when I was looking at
time grasping when I was looking at
time grasping when I was looking at we had a thermal collapse of this
we had a thermal collapse of this
we had a thermal collapse of this conductive column a superheated air gas
conductive column a superheated air gas
conductive column a superheated air gas smokin it had enveloped the large air
smokin it had enveloped the large air
smokin it had enveloped the large air the community I was in a pickup I
the community I was in a pickup I
the community I was in a pickup I started driving up these streets I was
started driving up these streets I was
started driving up these streets I was going to roll the window down and when I
going to roll the window down and when I
going to roll the window down and when I went to felt the radiant heat through
went to felt the radiant heat through
went to felt the radiant heat through the glass woman that’s not survivable if
the glass woman that’s not survivable if
the glass woman that’s not survivable if I take a breath of that that’s not
I take a breath of that that’s not
I take a breath of that that’s not survive I need to get out of here it was
survive I need to get out of here it was
survive I need to get out of here it was chaotic I was scared to the point of
chaotic I was scared to the point of
chaotic I was scared to the point of being emotional by I was convinced guys
being emotional by I was convinced guys
being emotional by I was convinced guys were thought they weren’t resources
were thought they weren’t resources
were thought they weren’t resources really anymore to me that we’re you know
really anymore to me that we’re you know
really anymore to me that we’re you know people and so we’re going to tell these
people and so we’re going to tell these
people and so we’re going to tell these people you know tell that guy you know
people you know tell that guy you know
people you know tell that guy you know what you got a family and ov doesn’t
what you got a family and ov doesn’t
what you got a family and ov doesn’t matter right now you took oath go in
matter right now you took oath go in
matter right now you took oath go in there we have a responsibility community
there we have a responsibility community
there we have a responsibility community we have a responsibility to ourselves
we have a responsibility to ourselves
we have a responsibility to ourselves our profession but at what point is that
our profession but at what point is that
our profession but at what point is that no longer become viable plus I have this
no longer become viable plus I have this
no longer become viable plus I have this awareness now what this fire behaviors
awareness now what this fire behaviors
awareness now what this fire behaviors been for all these years and knowing
been for all these years and knowing
been for all these years and knowing that where does that cross over into my
that where does that cross over into my
that where does that cross over into my responsibility to go and send people to
responsibility to go and send people to
responsibility to go and send people to do these crazy things
thought I was ready for it because of
thought I was ready for it because of what I’d seen but the fact that matter
what I’d seen but the fact that matter
what I’d seen but the fact that matter is you’re never really ready Black
is you’re never really ready Black
is you’re never really ready Black Forest made what we were seeing that
Forest made what we were seeing that
Forest made what we were seeing that first night at a four-mile fire almost
first night at a four-mile fire almost
first night at a four-mile fire almost looked small seeing the homes burning in
looked small seeing the homes burning in
looked small seeing the homes burning in these subdivisions that were already
these subdivisions that were already
these subdivisions that were already lost seeing the devastation that had
lost seeing the devastation that had
lost seeing the devastation that had happened
happened
happened watching the crews moving almost like
watching the crews moving almost like
watching the crews moving almost like they were out of their element the fire
they were out of their element the fire
they were out of their element the fire was jumping it was moving much faster
was jumping it was moving much faster
was jumping it was moving much faster than we could get in front of it it’s
than we could get in front of it it’s
than we could get in front of it it’s like being in a fog bank only it’s all
like being in a fog bank only it’s all
like being in a fog bank only it’s all smoke you can’t see the fire you can
smoke you can’t see the fire you can
smoke you can’t see the fire you can hear it it’s out there you know it’s out
hear it it’s out there you know it’s out
hear it it’s out there you know it’s out there somewhere but you don’t see it
there somewhere but you don’t see it
there somewhere but you don’t see it there are lists of rules kind of rules
there are lists of rules kind of rules
there are lists of rules kind of rules of engagement as to how much fire you
of engagement as to how much fire you
of engagement as to how much fire you can put what kind of a resource on and
can put what kind of a resource on and
can put what kind of a resource on and when you’re looking at that much fire
when you’re looking at that much fire
when you’re looking at that much fire that you can’t put any kind of a
that you can’t put any kind of a
that you can’t put any kind of a resource on it that’s an oh moment
resource on it that’s an oh moment
resource on it that’s an oh moment so that public can’t have an expectation
so that public can’t have an expectation
so that public can’t have an expectation anymore that we are going to take
anymore that we are going to take
anymore that we are going to take firefighters and put them in front of
firefighters and put them in front of
firefighters and put them in front of that it’s beyond our capability to
that it’s beyond our capability to
that it’s beyond our capability to manage we’re not going to kill good
manage we’re not going to kill good
manage we’re not going to kill good people trying to save infrastructure
people trying to save infrastructure
people trying to save infrastructure that we put in a place that probably
that we put in a place that probably
that we put in a place that probably shouldn’t be there and so they’re
shouldn’t be there and so they’re
shouldn’t be there and so they’re changing this new environment dry arid
changing this new environment dry arid
changing this new environment dry arid drought stricken area with lots of fuel
drought stricken area with lots of fuel
drought stricken area with lots of fuel is we’re going to change the way we live
is we’re going to change the way we live
is we’re going to change the way we live in it and that’s where we’re struggling
in it and that’s where we’re struggling
in it and that’s where we’re struggling is there evidence of climate change in
is there evidence of climate change in
is there evidence of climate change in the fire environment you have to say yes
the fire environment you have to say yes
the fire environment you have to say yes because we are seeing a level of fire
because we are seeing a level of fire
because we are seeing a level of fire and an intensity of fire and a risk to
and an intensity of fire and a risk to
and an intensity of fire and a risk to firefighters that that hasn’t existed in
firefighters that that hasn’t existed in
firefighters that that hasn’t existed in the past and every indicator is every
the past and every indicator is every
the past and every indicator is every year it just gets worse this summer is
year it just gets worse this summer is
year it just gets worse this summer is my 21 year old daughter’s first year on
my 21 year old daughter’s first year on
my 21 year old daughter’s first year on the fire line and people always ask our
the fire line and people always ask our
the fire line and people always ask our you’re proud and in one sense yes and
you’re proud and in one sense yes and
you’re proud and in one sense yes and then in the quiet moments it scares the
then in the quiet moments it scares the
then in the quiet moments it scares the crap out of me in my 20 years
crap out of me in my 20 years
crap out of me in my 20 years you know I come close to dying and you
you know I come close to dying and you
you know I come close to dying and you know I hope that she doesn’t have that
know I hope that she doesn’t have that
know I hope that she doesn’t have that but when I look at the changing fire
but when I look at the changing fire
but when I look at the changing fire landscape yeah I worry you know because
landscape yeah I worry you know because
landscape yeah I worry you know because I can’t I can’t tell her what she’ll see
I can’t I can’t tell her what she’ll see
I can’t I can’t tell her what she’ll see because she’ll see stuff that I’ll never
because she’ll see stuff that I’ll never
because she’ll see stuff that I’ll never see as a society we have to take this
see as a society we have to take this
see as a society we have to take this evidence seriously we’ve got to start
evidence seriously we’ve got to start
evidence seriously we’ve got to start confronting climate change with the same
confronting climate change with the same
confronting climate change with the same level of effort and resources and
level of effort and resources and
level of effort and resources and intensity that we do to fight wildland
intensity that we do to fight wildland
intensity that we do to fight wildland fires firefighters are already taking
fires firefighters are already taking
fires firefighters are already taking unacceptable risks
”
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