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Published: June 19, 2023, 10 a.m.

Thanks for listening today, friends! We had a stressful situation out here a couple weeks ago now, and I wanted to collect my thoughts and share my experience dealing with a forest fire.

We got really lucky in that it was nearby, reported to us quickly, and we were prepared. A small crew of four of us got it put out. It could have easily become out-of-control due to conditions that day. Living with fire is a reality of life throughout North America, and not just in recent memory. Our ponderosa forest depends upon fire for its health.

I offer today my experience as a source of what went right, what could have gone wrong, and what I didn't do or even consider when fighting the fire. I learned a lot, about not just fire behavior but about resourcefulness and the need to be self-reliant. I'm grateful for the chance to practice earlier in the spring.

Fire safety is great to review periodically, especially when heading out to camp, run or hike in fire-prone areas. Just like I could have easily been in a bad place when the winds shifted, you could find yourself stuck in an unfortunate situation. The tips were modified from a Department of Interior website, and common sense hopefully prevails when people are recreating in the bush. Please do not do something stupid like setting off fireworks to reveal whether your baby will be a boy or girl.

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