Wildfire Pics

[theat]

SInce I am back doing the firefighting thing this summer after a few years break, I was looking through my old fire pics and thought some of you might enjoy these. Most are from the Sawmill Complex Fire up Rock Creek near Missoula and the rest are from IA assignments in northern Idaho.

 

[MTbowhunter84]

Thanks for all that you do!

 

[DavidKeenan]

Thanks for all you do. I wish you didn't have to do that. But it's only one of many jobs that someone has to do.

 

[HUNTMAN]

Thanks for posting. Wow.

 

[mtelkhntr78]

Nice pics! thanks for your work and I hope you arent to busy the rest of the year!

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Those are some GREAT photos. Thanks for sharing, and stay safe.

 

[sluggo6850]

Can't thank you enough for all of the sweat and labor you guys put forth. Be safe

 

[sbhooper]

When was the Rock Creek fire? My nephew used to go to school in Butte and told me that there were always lots of bears in the Rock Creek area.

Great pics.

 

[Corax]

Great pictures, and thanks for what you do. My son-in-law was a firefighter in Callifornia (Ukonom hotshots) until the kids came along - too much time away from home.

Keep safe.

 

[jryoung]

That's not awesome and totally awesome at the same time. Thanks for sharing.

 

[silverado11]

Thank you for posting, and since my brother is a Missoula City Police Officer I have had many adventures in and around the Missoula area....THANK YOU for your work and please stay safe in the future.

 

[devon deer]

Wow those pics are amazing and also sad at the same time.
That must be one of the most physically demanding jobs on the planet.
Cheers
Richard

 

[Hem]

Wow,cool photos.Though I have never worked on a fire I was having flashbacks from your pics from the '88 fires when i worked construction in Yellowstone.Working at Old Faithful and commuting on week-ends to Paradise Valley gave me a serious eye-full of fires that summer.When the fire raced down on Old Faithful it was surreal,one of those amazing moments.Afterwards,the mandated evacuation from the complex had us driving through a tunnel of flames to get back to West Yellowstone.Thanks for the cool pics.

 

[theat]

Thanks guys, This job can be extremely physically and mentally draining but it can also be very exciting as well as boring all in the same long day.

Don't forget that a healthy forest needs the occasional fire, and that fire provides the new browse that elk depend on to survive. As long as fires don't get too large, stay mostly on the ground, and do not destroy peoples homes they are usually a good thing.

When was the Rock Creek fire? My nephew used to go to school in Butte and told me that there were always lots of bears in the Rock Creek area.

sbhooper - The Sawmill Gulch fire burned during the summer of 2007. For the most part it improved habitat except maybe in a couple of deep drainages that burned very hot and crowned out. I have elk hunted in parts of the burn before and after the fire and the local elk herd still uses these areas. There are bears in the rock creek area but I wouldn't say that there are any more there than anywhere else around Missoula. During the summer there are several bears that spend a lot of time down by the main road so they tend to get seen a lot.

Here are some pics of what a large out of control fire can do.