UNDERGROUND UTILITIES - TUCSON
I WORKED FOR THE USDA FOREST SERVICE BACK IN THE MID-90'S TO THE EARLY MILLENIUM IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO AND UTAH. (REGION 3: CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST; SANTA CATALINA DISTRICT + REGION 4: SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST; CUBA DISTRICT + REGION 5: WASATCH NATIONAL FOREST; KAMAS DISTRICT)
[SIGN AT THE SFNF/HOTSHOTS STATION]
IF YOU START FIRES FOR FUN, YOU'RE A PYROMANIAC.
IF YOU GET PAID TO START FIRES, YOU'RE AN ARSONIST.
IF YOU DO BOTH, YOU'RE A HOTSHOT
I HAD BEEN WORKING UNDERGROUND UTILITIES IN TUCSON IN THE SUMMER, WHERE THE TEMPERATURE ROUTINELY HIT 110 BY 10 AM E.V.E.R.Y. D.A.Y.
LIKE CLOCKWORK.
THE INTERESTING THING WAS THAT OSHA (THE FEDERAL WORK SAFETY BUREUCRACY) INSISTED THAT WORKERS BE PROVIDED WITH A COOLER FULL OF ICE WATER, WHICH CAN ACTUALLY BE FATAL AT 110 AND UP.
MY SOLUTION WAS TO FILL A GATORADE JUG WITH WATER AND WITHIN 10 MINUTES IT WOULD BE DRINKABLE, AND STILL COOL, SO I COULD DOWN A QUART AT ONCE AND LITERALLY NOT SUFFER A "BRAIN FREEZE".
EVERYDAY AFTER WORK, WE ALL HAD SALT CRUST ON OUR HAIR AND T-SHIRTS SINCE THE CITY WATER CAME OUT OF THE CAP PIPELINE. (COLORADO ARIZONA PROJECT)
SO WE DIDN'T NEED TO EAT SALT TABLETS.
THIS SALINE WATER ALSO CAUSED A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE OLD WATER LINES, AS IT WOULD LOOSEN THE RUST IN THE PIPES AND WHEN WE WENT TO REPLACE THE DAMAGED LINES, THE ENTIRE ALLEYWAY FOR ONE BLOCK WAS SWAMPY FROM THE BREACHED PIPES.
IT WAS SIMPLE TO FIND THE PIPES, JUST START DIGGING WHERE THE WATER CAME UP.
IN TUCSON, SWEAT NEVER RUNS DOWN YOUR NOSE OR GETS INTO YOUR EYES, JUST A SLIGHT DAMPNESS THAT ALMOST INSTANTLY DRIES UP AND COOLS YOU DOWN.
(AS LONG AS YOU GET A FULL GALLON OF WATER INTO YOU, OR ABOUT A QUART AN HOUR)
I COULD TELL WHEN THE HEAT REACHED 105 CUZ MY STOMACH WOULD GET COLD AS I "POPPED A SWEAT" AND MY BODY STARTED REGULATING ITS CORE TEMPERATURE.
(MAYBE I WILL FILL UP SOME LINES WITH MORE STUFF ABOUT TUCSON, (SUMMER AND WINTER) IF ANYONE THINKS IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING HEARING MORE TUCSON ADVENTURES, BUT THIS IS ABOUT WORKING ON THE MOUNTAIN AND DESERT AND CHOKING SMOKE)
THE MOUNTAIN
IT ALL STARTED INNOCENTLY ENOUGH, I SAW A WANT AD IN THE PAPER ABOUT DISWASHING AT THE MT. LEMMON SKI AREA, SO I RODE MY MOTORCYCLE UP AND GOT HIRED.
IT WAS A LOT COOLER UP AT 8,000 FEET THAN AT 3,500 FEET, SO I PUT MY PACK AND SLEEPING BAG TOGETHER AND STARTED OVERNIGHTING UP THERE.
THERE WERE SOME VERY BIG AND OLD TREES UP THERE, SEEMS TO BE A CROSS BETWEEN FIR AND SPRUCE, SO AFTER A COUPLE WEEKS OF SLEEPING ON THE GROUND, I BROUGHT MY HAMMOCK UP AND MOVED INTO THE REAL MOUNTAIN FOREST.
THE HAMMOCK WAS 7 FOOT OF DENIM SEWED UP ON AN OLD HANDCRANK SINGER I FOUND AT AN ANTIQUE PLACE DOWN IN COCHISE COUNTY, PLUS TWO 5 FOOT POLES ABOUT 2 INCHES THICK WITH 3/4 INCH HOLES DRILLED FOR SOME SOFT NYLON BRAIDED ROPE.
ANYWAY, THERE ARE DEER AND THERE ARE BEARS UP THERE AND YOU COULD HEAR BOTH ROAMING AROUND AT NIGHT, BUT I WAS NEVER BOTHERED EXCEPT ONE TIME WHEN A BEAR SNAGGED MY HAT BUT LEFT IT SEVERAL FEET AWAY, MAYBE JUST CHECKING ME OUT.
LATER THAT MORNING, STILL A BIT BEDRAGGLED FROM LOSING THEN FINDING MY HAT, I RAN INTO 2 GUYS OVER AT THE BASE OF THE SKI LIFT AS I WS GOING AROUND, GATHERING THE TRASH AND I HAD TO RIDE THE LIFT TO PICK UP FROM UP TOP.
I COULD HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN, BUT THEY LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE HUEY LEWIS AND JOHN GOODMAN.
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT A JAZZ CLUB ON SPEEDWAY I HAD PASSED MANY TIMES, BUT NEVER FELT THE NEED.
I GUESS I'M JUST NOT A FANBOY AT HEART.
I LIKE MUSIC AND ALL, BUT SOMEHOW, I'M MORE INTERESTED IN REAL PEOPLE AND THESE TWO WERE THAT.
WHAT WAS ESPECIALLY FUN WAS RIDING THE SKI LIFT DURING LUNCH BREAK, BUT NOT DURING THE STORM SEASON, CUZ WHEN LIGHTNING HIT THE TOWERS, BIG BLUE SPARKS WOULD SHOOT OUT OF THE OUTLETS IN THE RESTAURANT.
I JUST BACKED OFF AND WATCHED THEM GO.
IT USUALLY TOOK JUST A FRACTION OF A SECOND FROM THE FLASH TO THE SPARKS COMING OUT OF THE PLUGINS.
ONE OF THE WAITRESSES WAS DATING THE LOCAL FOREST SERVICE STATION MANAGER AND I ASKED HER ABOUT WORKING AS A FIREFIGHTER AND SHE TOLD ME TO GO AND TALK TO HIM, SO I DID.
SINCE I HAD BEEN WELDING FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS, THE MANAGER SAID HE COULD GIVE ME A ROOM AFTER THE FIRE SEASON ENDED IN OCTOBER (OR SO) AS LONG AS I WOULD WORK 20 HOURS A WEEK AROUND THE STATION.
I STARTED WORKING AS A DISHWASHER DOWN IN THE VILLAGE BELOW THE SKI AREA
I HAD HEARD ABOUT ICE RACING MOTORCYCLES ON LAKES IN NORWAY OR WHEREVER AND GOT A COUPLE USED ENDURO TIRES WITH KNOBBIES AND SCREWED IN ABOUT A COUPLE DOZEN 1/4 INCH PANHEAD SHEET METAL SCREWS WHICH WOULD GET ME THE 5 MILES FROM THE STATION TO THE VILLAGE WITH ICE AND SNOW ON THE ROAD. (USUALLY WITH BOTH FEET ON THE PAVEMENT LIKE TRAINING WHEELS)
ANY TIME I RODE INTO TOWN, AS SOON AS I GOT DOWN TO THE STRAIGHTAWAY, THE SCREWS WOULD START FLINGING OUT AS SOON AS I GOT OVER 35 MPH.
BUT IF IT WAS SNOWING ON THE WAY UP, I WOULD STOP AND SCREW MORE IN USING THE SAME HOLES AS BEFORE.
AS SOON AS I HIT THE 7000 FOOT MARKER, I WOULD USUALLY PUT IT DOWN INTO FIRST AND KEEP BOTH FEET ON THE SNOW AND ICE, KEEPING THE MOTOR STEADY.
THE STATION MANAGER HAD ME DOING SOME LITTLE WELDING PROJECTS, SORTING OUT THE FIRST AID KITS, ORGANIZING THE PAINT SHED AND CHAINSAW SHOP, MAKING SOME WATER VALVE COVERS THAT THE TUBERS WOULDN'T HURT THEMSELVES ON THE PADLOCKS.
HAD TO WEAR FILTER MASKS TO PROTECT AGAINST HANTA VIRUS & SPRAY BLEACH AROUND ON MOUSE NESTS IN THE WATER HEATER CLOSETS, etc.
I HAVE A KNACK FOR DESIGNING SIMPLE THINGS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE JOB, SO IN ALL, IT WAS INTERESTING.
THE BASIC EIGHT
ANYWAY, NEXT SPRING, I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL ALL LAST YEARS FIREFIGHTERS HAD BEEN REHIRED THEN I COULD BE RECOMMENDED, WHICH I WAS.
THEN I WENT DOWN TO SABINO CANYON ADMIN SITE TO TAKE THE "STEP TEST".
THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY DESIGNED BY A PROFESSIONAL ROLLER CHAIR JOCKEY, BECAUSE THEY WOULD PLAY EITHER A TAPE OR SET UP A METRONOME TO KEEP PACE FOR YOU TO STEP UP THEN DOWN ONTO A 16 INCH HIGH PLYWOOD BOX FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN YOUR PULSE WOULD BE TAKEN.
I NEVER COULD PASS THIS TEST BECAUSE MY PULSE WOULD RISE TO A POINT, THEN STAY THERE STEADY, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I TRIED IT.
I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THIS WAS AN ADVANTAGE SINCE MY BLOODFLOW WOULD KEEP PACE WITH MY WORK OUTPUT, BUT THE BRASS NAME PLAQUES WHO INVENTED THIS TEST KNEW BETTER.
OF COURSE THEY DID.
THE ALTERNATIVE WAS TO RUN A MILE AND A HALF AT A HIGH SCHOOL TRACK IN UNDER 11 MINUTES AND 40 SECONDS.
I ABSOLUTELY HATE RUNNING.
UNLESS I'M BEING CHASED.
I CAN DO IT, BUT UNLESS THERE IS ADRENALINE INVOLVED, ITS JUST NOISE IN MY EARS AS I GO, SO I WOULD WRITE THE LAP TIMES ON MY PALM FOR PASSING THE 1/4 MILE TRACK, WHERE THEY WOULD CALL OUT YOUR TIME, THEN EVEN BETTER, LATCH ONTO SOMEONE WHO WOULD BEAT THAT WITHOUT LEAVING ME IN THE DUST, AND MATCH THEIR PACE, WITHOUT FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE.
A 16 OUNCE MOUNTAIN DEW IS BASICALLY A CLONE OF "JOLT COLA" ("ALL THE SUGAR AND TWICE THE CAFFEINE!") AND IT WORKED, CUZ MY METABOLISM JUST IS NOT MADE FOR CAFFEINE.
I GET TOO EDGEY. STARTING FROM SARCASTIC.
SO, AFTER THE YEARLY ORDEAL, I WOULD SPEND HALF AN HOUR "WALKING IT OFF" UNTIL I COULD LITERALLY CALM DOWN ENOUGH TO GET ON MY BIKE AND RIDE OFF.
LATELY, MY DOCTOR HAS TOLD ME I HAVE A HIGH RED BLOOD CELL COUNT, WHICH AFTER A LITTLE WHILE THINKING, I ASKED HIM IF THAT WAS BAD?
HE SAID IT IS USUALLY SEEN IN MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS WHO SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT HIGH ALTITUDES, WHICH MADE SENSE TO ME SINCE I HAD, EVER SINCE LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL IN OHIO AND TRAVELLING AROUND OUT WEST.
AFTER WATCHING THE "BASIC EIGHT" TRAINING VIDEOS, (WHICH WERE LITERALLY EIGHT HOURS OF VHS VIDEOS BACK TO BACK, AND NOT REALLY BORING AT ALL.) I FELT THAT I KNEW EVERYTHING YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE IN A FIRE ENVIRONMENT.
I ESPECIALLY RECALL ONE INCIDENT WHERE A HELICOPTER WITH A LONG LINE PULLING A BAG WITH SOME SUPPLIES LIFTED OFF OF A SMALL DRY WATERING HOLE ON THE HILLSIDE, SWUNG AROUND AND BASICALLY SLID DOWN HIS ROTOR WASH AS THE BAG PASSED HIS CENTER OF GRAVITY.
AS HE WAS ONLY ABOUT 20 FEET OFF THE SLOPE, NO ONE GOT HURT, BUT THE HELO LOST ITS BLADES.
THEY WENT EVERYWHERE.
SO, AFTER GETTING MY EQUIPMENT AND TRAINED UP ON DEPLOYING FIRE SHELTERS (I'VE HEARD IT CALLED "SHAKE AND BAKE" BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD TO DO IT DURING A FIRE BURN OVER) WE HAD SEVERAL DISTRICTS COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN FOR A "CONTROLLED BURN". (WHICH THE BRASS PLAQUES PREFER TO CALL "PRESCRIBED BURNS" SINCE THEY'RE TOUCHY ABOUT BAD PRESS WHEN ONE GETS LOOSE)
SO, WE NOOBZ GOT ASSIGNED TO "HOLDING FORCES" WHICH MEANS STANDING ON THE EDGE OF THE ROAD ON THE BLACKLINE "CHOKING SMOKE" WHILE THE BURNERS WALKED DOWN THE DRAW SETTING THINGS ON FIRE ACCORDING TO HOW FAR BETWEEN EACH STRIP THEY WERE TOLD TO RUN.
THEN, AFTER THE BURNERS WENT OUT OF SIGHT, A LINE OF TREES STARTED BURNING PRETTY LIVELY UNTIL I WAS LOOKING AT A THREE STORY HOUSE SIZE FLAME FRONT, LEANING AWAY FROM US.
FEELING KIND OF PANICKY, I LOOKED AROUND AT THE OTHER FIRE FIGHTERS AND DIDN'T SEE ANYONE ELSE GETTING NERVY, SO I CALMED DOWN AND DECIDED TO ENJOY THE SHOW.
SINCE THEN, ON A BURN IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO, WE HAD SPENT ALL DAY BURNING OUT UPHILL FROM A PAVED HIGHWAY AGAINST A SLOW BREEZE TO THE EDGE OF A WILDERNESS AREA THAT WAS BEING PROTECTED.
THE BURNERS WALKED IN AND AROUND A STAND OF 100+ FOOT HIGH WHITE FIR, ALMOST IN A LINE, WHICH GROW THEIR BRANCHES REACHING DOWN TO THE GROUND AND WHICH ARE A SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD, AND THE STAND WENT UP NOT 100 FEET AWAY FROM WHERE WE STOOD IN THE FOREST WATCHING THE FLAMES FILL MY ENTIRE LINE OF SIGHT LIKE AN IMAX THEATRE IN REAL LIFE.
(AND I HAD JUST USED UP MY LAST SUPER 8 CARTRIDGE ON GETTING A THICK STAND FROM 100 YARDS AWAY WITH THICK BLACK SMOKE PERCOLATING LIKE POPCORN, THEN BURSTING INTO A HEAVY DARK ORANGE FIRE BALL AS IT CLEARED THE TREE TOPS - I STILL REGRET NOT FOLLOWING THE BURNERS IN, AFTER THE ASSISTANT RANGER TOLD ME I COULD)
(BUT I'M KIND OF TIMID ABOUT GETTING THE "EXTRA CRISPY" TREATMENT.)
BACK TO THE FINAL BURN, THE FIRE WAS SO HOT AND WE WERE SO CLOSE (ONLY ABOUT 100 FEET AWAY) AND I KEPT LOOKING BACKWARDS TO WHERE THE OTHERS WERE STANDING, BUT I SUDDENTLY NOTICED THAT THE FIRE HAD CAUSED SUCH A STRONG INDRAFT SO THAT EVEN THOUGH I COULD FEEL THE RADIATIVE HEAT ON THE FRONT OF ME, THERE WAS A STRONG STEADY BREEZE FROM BEHIND, COOLING ME OFF.
THE FACT IS, SINCE THE BURN WAS WITHIN 50 YARDS OF THE ONLY ACCESS ROAD, "IF" THE WIND SHIFTED AND CAME OUR WAY, WE WERE DONE.
EXTRA CRISPY, TO BE CERTAIN.
BUT, DURING THE MORNING BRIEFING, THE BIGGEST ISSUE WAS SHUTTING DOWN IMMEDIATELY IF THERE WAS ANY CHANGE EXPECTED IN THE WIND SPEED OR DIRECTION AND WE TOOK ALL DAY TO COVER A COUPLE HUNDRED ACRES.
THE NEXT DAY, OUR ENGINE CREW WAS SENT TO PATROL THE BURN AND WE FOUND THAT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY HAD BEEN BURNED ABOUT 50 YARDS BACK, SO THE FOREMAN CALLED IT IN AS WE STARTED DIGGING LINE AND HITTING ANY HOT SPOTS WE FOUND, WHEN THE FOREST SERVICE L.E.O. SHOWED UP AND ACCUSED US OF SETTING THE FIRE, SINCE IT WAS CLEAR THAT WHOEVER HAD DONE IT USED HIGHWAY FLARE "FUZEES" TO LIGHT FROM THE EDGE OF THE PAVEMENT. (ONE OF THE WAYS WE DID IT)
OUR FOREMAN GOT PRETTY HOT ABOUT THAT, CUZ WE HAD JUST SHOWED UP ON SCENE AFTER DRIVING 40 MINUTES FROM OUR STATION, BUT THAT'S THE WAY THE FOREST SERVICE OPERATES, I GUESS.
ONE MORE THING FROM NORTHERN NEW MEXICO THEN WE GO BACK TO SOUTHERN ARIZONA: DURING OUR PATROLS, THERE WAS ONE PLACE JUST BEFORE YOU BREAK OUT INTO A LARGE MEADOW WHERE WE ALMOST ALWAYS SAW THE SAME BEAR.
WHAT WAS UNUSUAL ABOUT THIS BLACK BEAR WAS THAT BESIDES THE STANDARD 2 INCH THICK BLACK FUR, HE HAD 12 INCH LONG BLOND HAIR ALL OVER HIS BACK AND SIDES WHICH SHOOK AS HE WOULD RUN BACK INTO THE FOREST AS WE CAME UP.
I ALWAYS FIGURED HE WOULD GET TAKEN DURING HUNTING SEASON, AS HE HAD SUCH UNIQUE FUR, BUT NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
COMBAT CHAINSAWS
OUR STATION WAS AT 8,000 FEET ALTITUDE AND EVERY MORNING WE WOULD ALL HIKE UP TO THE ANTENNA FARM AND LOOKOUT TOWER ON THE MOUNTAIN 500 FEET HIGHER.
THIS WAS GOOD DRILL SINCE MOST OF THE FIREFIGHTERS LIVED DOWN IN TUCSON AT 3,500 FEET.
WE HAD A GUNG HO ENGINE FOREMAN WHO USED TO RUN AND WORK OUT ALL DURING HIS SPARE TIME, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A GOOD TEN YEARS OLDER THAN MOST OF WERE, WHICH WAS LATE 30's, EARLY 40's.
WE ALWAYS GROUSED ABOUT HIS ATTITUDE BUT STILL RESPECTED THE OLD GEEZER FOR BEING TOUGH.
ONE MORNING, INSTEAD OF HIKING UP TO THE LOOKOUT THEN DOWN, WE CIRCLED AROUND ON ONE OF THE OLD GRASSY ROADS AND CAME BACK TO THE STATION FROM BELOW.
HE TOLD US TO START RUNNING "INDIAN FILE" WHICH MEANS THE LAST GUY HAS TO RUN TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE, SO IT SPEEDS EVERYTHING UP.
SOMEBODY GOT THE DEVIOUS IDEA OF SPRINTING AND SOON WE WERE ALL RUNNING FULL BLAST TO GET TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE JUST TO WEAR THE OLD GUY DOWN A BIT.
AND IT WORKED, TOO.
HE NEVER TRIED TO WEAR US OUT LIKE THAT AGAIN.
BESIDES, THE STATION MANAGER SAID THAT WE HAD TO STAY FRESH IN CASE OF A BIG FIRE WHEN WE WOULD ROUTINELY STAY ON THE JOB FOR 36 HOURS STRAIGHT. (ESPECIALLY, CLOSE TO THE WEEKENDS)
AND WE GOT PLENTY OF THOSE "OVERNIGHTERS" TOO.
ALL DAY ON AN 8 HOUR SHIFT, THEN A SMOKE REPORT COMES IN AND A CREW CHECKS IT OUT, THEN HELITAC IS CALLED IN AND A COUPLE MORE CREWS ARE DISPATCHED TO START CUTTING LINE.
ONE OF THE MYSTERIES IS HOW TO FIND A LIGHTNING STRIKE THAT WAS SEEN FROM THE LOOKOUT, AND YOU COULD SEE SMOKE COMING UP ABOVE THE TREES HERE AND THERE THROUGH THE OPENINGS ALONG THE ROAD, BUT AFTER HIKING IN A COUPLE MILES AND STARTING TO SMELL SMOKE, WE WOULD HAVE TO SPREAD OUT IN A PICKET LINE, SNIFFING AND LOOKING FOR SMOKE.
WE HAD TO COMB THE WOODS A COUPLE TIMES UNTI SOMEONE SHOUTED OUT THAT THEY FOUND IT!
TURNED OUT A FOOT THICK PINE HAD EXPLODED INTO "INSTANT 2X4's" AND SCATTERED FLAMING RESIN IN A 50 YARD DIAMETER CIRCLE, JUST BARELY BURNING. (BUT THAT QUALIFIED FOR 8+ HOURS OF "H-PAY")
THEN WE GOT DRENCHED ON THE TRAIL BACK WHEN IT STARTED POURING DOWN, THEN IT STOPPED WHEN WE REACHED THE VEHICLES.
ON ONE FIRE, I GRABBED A PULASKI (FIRE AXE) AND TRIED TO GRUB OUT EVERY LAST ROOT UNTIL I GOT ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED.
THEN COULD NOT GET UP AFTER WE ALL TOOK A 5 MINUTE BREAK.
I WASN'T SLEEPY, JUST MY MUSCLES COULDN'T REFRESH AFTER TRYING TO DO EVERYBODY'S JOB FOR THEM.
THE HAND CREW BOSS CAME BACK AND TOLD ME TO "TAKE LESS" AND WHEN I FINALLY STOOD UP AFTER 10 MINUTES, I DID JUST THAT.
PLUS I NEVER WILLINGLY PICKED UP A FIRE AXE AGAIN, PREFERRING THE MCLEOD FIRE RAKE, WHICH WAS HEAVIER BUT WIDER, HAVING A FOOT LONG CUTTING BLADE ON ONE SIDE AND 6 TINES ON THE OTHER.
I LIKED TO KEEP THE BLADE SHARPENED UP FOR CUTTING BRANCHES CLOSE TO THE TREES, SWINGING THE TOOL UP FROM BELOW.
THE HELITAC GUYS HAD ME MAKE UP A COUPLE "SPACE FORKS" BY CUTTING THE TINES DOWN TO JUST TWO AND THE BLADE INTO A TRINGLE, SINCE HELITAC HAS TO DEAL WITH WEIGHT.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY LOOKED LIKE SHRIMP COCKTAIL FORKS.
I ALWAYS LIKED THE HELITAC GUYS BUT ONLY GOT TO RIDE IN A HELICOPTER ONCE COMING OFF OF A GRASS FIRE A LITTLE ABOVE THE SANTA CATALINA STATE PARK, WHICH BTW, WAS THE FEATURED BACKGROUND FOR "FINAL FANTASY - THE SPIRITS WITHIN" SCI FI MOVIE.
ALSO, ONE OF THE HELO PILOTS WAS IN THE FINAL SCENE OF THE "ID-4" MOVIE WHEN EVERYBODY IS CONGRATULATING EVERYBODY ELSE FOR MAKING IT 'TIL THE END OF THE MOVIE.
MY SECOND SEASON, I GRADUATED UP TO CARRYING A CHAINSAW, WHICH IS LIKE THE GUY WHO CARRIES THE BIG GUN IN THE WAR MOVIES, ONLY F'REAL'S.
I HAD TO WEAR THOSE KEVLAR CHAPS THAT COVER YOUR THIGHS AND WORK BY CHOKING UP THE SAW TEETH IF YOU HAPPEN TO HIT YOUR LEG WITH THE SAW.
THAT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME, BUT I DID MAKE AN INCH LONG SLIT IN THE HEAVY NYLON COVER, CUZ I ALWAYS SHARPENED THE TEETH UP NICE, SO THEY THREW OUT NICE LONG STRINGS.
I WORKED UP TO A "B FALLER - HOT" WHICH LET ME CUT UP TO 24 INCHES DBH COLD OR 12 INCHES DIAMETER BREAST HIGH ON A FIRE.
ON ONE FIRE DOWN BEHIND ORACLE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, WE WERE IN A WIDE DRY WASH FILLED WITH SCRUBBY BRUSH AND TO HELP THE HAND CREW GRUB OUT THE ROOTS, I WOULD LEAN DOWN AND CUT SIDE TO SIDE AT 2 INCHES OFF THE GROUND, LIKE A HEDGE TRIMMER.
I WOULD TELL THE "PULLERS" TO STAY BEHIND ME, THAT I WOULD ONLY CUT FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER AND NOT ANY FURTHER BACK AND WE WOULD ROCK AND ROLL UNTIL MIDNIGHT WHEN THE HUMIDITY WOULD RISE A FEW PERCENT AND THE FIRE WOULD CALM DOWN AND LET US TAKE A BREAK.
INITIAL ATTACK
UP ON THE MOUNTAIN, WE HAD ABOUT A 6 WEEK STRING OF "MONDAY MORNING FIRES" WHICH STARTED LOOKING LIKE DELIBERATE ARSON.
THIS GUY STARTED OUT BUILDING A FIRE RING RIGHT ON TOP OF THE PINE DUFF, BUT WOULD LEAVE OUT A ROCK SO THE FIRE COULD SPREAD OUT.
HE DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD BURN UNDERNEATH JUST THE SAME.
SO AFTER A COUPLE OF THESE SMALL FIRES, SOME OF THE GUYS STARTED STAYING OVERNIGHT SUNDAYS TO PICK UP ON THESE WHICH WERE GETTING TO BE VERY PREDICTABLE.
EXCEPT HE EVENTUALLY STOPPED TRYING TO PRETEND TO BUILD A FIRE RING.
FINALLY, ONE BRIGHT MONDAY MORNING, WE GOT A CALL ABOUT A START AT THE PICNIC GROUND BELOW THE VILLAGE WHICH THREATENED THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN, SINCE IT COULD RUN UP TOWARDS THE VILLAGE AND THEN CROSS OVER THE RIDGE TOWARDS THE WILDERNSS AREA.
WE GOT THERE AND HIKED UP ABOUT A QUARTER MILE TO WHERE AT THE FOOT OF AN 80 FOOT FIR THERE WAS A NICE LITTLE FIRE GOING IN THE PINE NEEDLES, WHICH AS WE GOT THERE, STARTED BURNING IN THE LOW HANGING BRANCHES.
WE KNEW THE TREE WAS GOING TO GO UP, CUZ WHAT COULD WE DO?
WE STOOD THERE, 30 FEET FROM THE BASE OF THE TREE ON A SLOPE SO STEEP THAT YOU COULD LOOK UP AND SEE THE ENTIRE TREE BLAZE UP.
I JUST FIGURED, "WELL, THERE GOES THE MOUNTAIN" AND WENT OVER TO A NEARBY DRAW FILLED WITH SOME DEAD LOCUST TREES AND STARTED CUTTING THE WOOD UP TO REDUCE THE FUEL LOAD, BUT THE FIRE GOT SO HOT I HAD TO TURN MY HEAD AWAY, EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY SHROUD ON, UNTIL THE FOREMAN CALLED TO ME TO GET OUT OF THERE.
I NOTICED MY NOMEX SMELLED LIKE I HAD JUST TAKEN IT OUT OF THE DRYER.
LATER, BACK AT THE STATION, I SAW THAT A SMALL FLASHLIGHT I HAD STUCK TO MY HELMET HAD CURLED UP AND WARPED THE LENS SLIGHTLY.
IT STILL WORKED THO.
AFTER THE TREE WAS DONE THROWING SPARKS AND EMBERS A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET INTO THE AIR, AND THE FIRE HAD RUN UP THE SLOPE TO THE RIDGE, I STARTED CUTTING A SWATHE THROUGH THE SMALL SAPLINGS AND BRUSH FOR THE HAND CREW TO WORK WITH, JUST AS HELITAC SHOWED UP WITH SOME BAMBI BUCKETS OF WATER.
JUST THEN, WHEN WE WERE ALL KNEW WE WERE JUST WORKING AGAINST THE INEVITABLE, A C-130 SHOWED UP OUT OF NOWHERE AND RAN TWO LINES OF THAT ORANGE FIRE RETARDANT ALONG BOTH SIDES OF THE FIRE.
I WAS MAYBE 30 YARDS AHEAD OF THE HAND CREW SO I DIDN'T GET HIT WITH THE RETARDANT, BUT ALL THE CREW GOT PAINTED BUT GOOD.
I TOLD THEM LATER TO GO AHEAD AND WASH IT OUT OF THEIR NOMEX CUZ IT BURNS, BUT DON'T CLEAN THE HELMET AS THAT WAS A BADGE OF PRIDE.
SOON AFTER THEY GOT HIT, THE HELO STOPPED OVER WHERE I WAS WORKING WITH THE SAW AND DROPPED A FULL 75 GALLON BUCKET ON A NEARBY TREE, SHOWERING ME IN THE PROCESS AND COOLING ME OFF NICELY.
AFTER SEEING THAT THE EFFORTS OF HELITAC AND THE C-130 HAD SAVED THE MOUNTAIN, WE CONNECTED OUR SIDE OF THE LINE UP TO THE STATION MANAGER'S SIDE WITH ANOTHER HAND CREW HE HAD CALLED OVER TO FOLLOW HIM, WE "TOOK FIVE".
I HAD STARTED CARRYING POWDERED GATORADE WITH ME IN THOSE LITTLE 35 mm PLASTIC FILM CANS WHICH WAS PERFECT TO MAKE UP A QUART.
I POPPED ONE OF THOSE AND DOWNED THE ENTIRE QUART WITHOUT EVEN BREATHING, DOING THE CLASSIC "GATORADE MOMENT".
STANDING ON THE ROCKY GRAVEL OF THE RIDGETOP OVERLOOKING THE BEAR CANYON WILDERNESS AREA, WE JUST NATURALLY STARTED MOPPING UP ANY HOT SPOTS WE FOUND AS WE WORKED OUR WAY DOWN TO WHERE THE OTHER CREWS WERE WORKING UP TOWARDS US.
IT FELT GOOD.
THEN, AS WE WALKED DOWN THE SWITCHBACK ABOVE THE PICNIC GROUND, THERE WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE STARTED CLAPPING AND CHEERING US.
EVERY ONE OF THEM THANKED US AS WE FILED PAST AND LOADED BACK INTO OUR TRUCKS.
"WILDLAND FIRE: THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE WITHOUT GETTING SHOT AT."
(NOT ONLY THAT BUT YOU GET PAID!)
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The Author: Ronald Kermit Frazier, owns the Work(s); the Author Grants Free Non-Commercial Use and Free Distribution on Condition the Author is Credited and Named within the Work(s).
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