The Moral Equivalency of War

I am walking over hallowed ground today in several inches of ash and soot to merely reflect. I reflect on those young people who have lost their lives combating wildfires across the west. Names that have been permanently seared into our memories by wildfire.

The ground I walk on is hallowed because people have died here, a battlefield of wins and insurmountable losses, a theatre of battle filled with courage, commitment and uncommon valor. Reflecting all the while the wind blows ash through the remains of burnt brush in sweltering heat.

Hot shots unconditionally go to the hottest part of a blaze at the request of an incident commander. Hot shots are usually young physically fit ground pounders who work seasonally across the western US combating wildfires. They are trained to fight fire aggressively with 50 pounds of gear on their backs.

However when dangerous fuels, weather and topography get into critical alignment, tragedy can happen at a moments notice. No amount of training and fitness can prepare you to survive in catastrophic blow up.

Firefighters rely on chiefs and command staff to give them assignments and then they assume risk to protect life, property and the environment. They fight, and as in combat they can fall short and pay the ultimate sacrifice for public service.

No amount of protective clothing or layers of foil lined fire shelters can protect them, they rely on instinct, intuition, training and sometimes sheer luck to find escape routes. As in war if escape routes are cut off, the reality of combat sets in.

We learn from these events as we move on, putting names on a wall of honor or monument for others to remember. Ashcroft, Caldwell, Carter, Derford, MacKenzie, Marsh, McKee, Misner, Norris, Parker, Percin, Rose, Steed, Thurston, Turbyfill, Warneke, Whitted, Woyjeck, Zuppiger, all young, all with bright futures, and all with a tragic story; a story to bind them eternally in the fire community.

These men join the ranks of Prineville and El Cariso and other brave hot shots, Barnhill, Beck, Bickett, Blecha, Brinkley, Browning, Chee, Dunbar, Figlo, Hagen, Hill, Holtby, Johnson, Kelso,  Mackey, Moore, Morreland, Roth, Shilcutt, Thrash, Tyler, Verdugo, Waller, White .

Names never to be forgotten.