The Fire Is Out!

Fire? Did someone say fire? I didn't hear anything about no stinkin' fire! Well, no, you didn't. Because I chose not to mention it until we knew what course it would run. No need scaring folks and making them change their travel plans out of fear of a forest fire that may or may not continue to grow. And I can now tell you- it's out and all seems well here in Chicken. Having just only a short while back written of a fire that, 5 years ago, threatened the village and burned 1.3 million acres of timber land, we were all a bit nervous a week or so back when a thunder storm passed through and a lightning bolt touched off a fire some three miles away from us. The fire was noticeable within minutes of the strike. The billowing smoke told us it was catching and spreading rapidly. A day later it had gotten much bigger and two days later it was getting downright scary. But then came the airplanes dropping fire retardant. And the Alaskan Fire Brigade. The Tok Fire Keepers. And Alaskan Fire Fighting Elite troops known as the "Hot Shots." The helicopters with their water dipping baskets gliding below the whirling blades. And so round the clock for days the epic battle between fire fighter and fire raged only miles away. Nature picks a winner in such struggles and on this occasion- Fire Fighters 1 , Fire 0 - game over. Now a smaller crew watches over the hot spots to make sure what is out stays out. We sleep better now, although it never felt like the danger was immediate.
"Shall we be nervous yet?" I asked several days into a growing fire.
"Not yet."
And so we never did. Get nervous, I mean. But the charcoal covered faces of the men (and a woman) who fought the fire when they came off the front lines for a break and a hot meal told a different story. They were dealing with the fire face to face. Taking the heat. Slapping it in its face with whatever they could hit it with....and this time winning. You could see the seriousness on their faces. The smell of smoke came along with them on their short respites. A hint of fatigue was brushed aside as they readied to go back in to do whatever it took. Being around them felt very special. They risk it all to protect a lot, and it makes them quite special.


Continuing with the That Was Then Series from our trip two years ago- here is what was happening then...

Frost Heave The Snowman - a piece on road conditions.

Midnight At The Oasis - a look at late night light in Alaska.

Odds and Ends - some interesting tidbits about Alaska and things Alaskan, like mosquitoes, caribou and PIGS?.

Back in the present day Alaska, this team of three of our early prospectors worked a section of "Gundy Mountain" and came up with some really nice course gold including a heart shaped penny weight nugget. Ain't that just purdy?