Sightlines

Forest Fire

Thursday, August 7, 2008. In light of the helicopter crash that killed nine firefighters in Northern California yesterday, I wanted to do a post about a fire I witnessed in Montana. 

As many readers know, I make an annual pilgrimage to "Camp Lindbergh" each summer to renew the already close ties with Peggy and Ed (from Missoula), and Bill, from Colrain, MA. We rendezvous at Peggy/Ed's cabin on Lindbergh Lake (about 75 miles NE of Missoula, nestled between the Swan Range and the Mission Mountains. 

We were chilling on the dock--following our motto: start slow and taper off--when we started hearing helicopters. Then one flew by with a bucket swaying below. Yep, en route to a fire. Fast forward a couple of hours to early evening when Peggy and I tried to start the motorboat. No luck. Bill and Ed were off fishing, so our only option was to take the rowing shell. 

Peggy rows, and it's a spacious shell, but let me tell you, shells aren't built for passengers. but I wedged into the bow, facing Peggy, and cradled my camera gear in my lap. The water came within two inches of the gunnels. 

An hour later we were down-lake, across from the fire which had burned up a hillside and across the crest. A small plane circled--presumably a spotter. A larger plane dumped pink retardant and took off to re-load. A helicopter came straight for us, really, then hovered a 100 yds away, dropped it's bucket, dragged a few yards, then lifted and scudded across the lake to drop it. Back it came, making loop after loop, each dumping/re-loading cycle taking about 4 minutes. 

We pulled ashore, sat against a log, had a beer, a sandwich and a Snickers, and watched the show. Thank God I had my long lens (100-400mm), but I forgot the video camera. Dang. 

Fire fighters arrived by speed boat and we learned later from Ed (who is a battalion chief in Missoula FD) that the guys would work through the night. 

Between the fire fighters and rain storms the next day, the fire was put out in a few days. Apparently it consumed about 100 acres

I'd never seen a forest fire close up, and it was amazing to see trees explode into flame. I've posted a bunch of photos on my Flickr page. Cheers. 

Burning uphill

Sunday, August 3, 2008. It was an animal's race. There was Dan, Animal #1, with two other animals (my bro, Dave, and Tom) in hot pursuit. The event: a 16.5 mile time trial up Larch Mountain. For about an hour and 15 minutes they kept their heart rates in the 85-90% range as they churned and burned up 3,000 ft through old growth forest. Dan edged Dave by a couple of minutes, with Tom not far behind. Truth be told, Dave would sell his first-born to beat Dan. In a nice bit of timing, bro has an article in today's "Oregonian" about Dan, and it's also on the web

My role: press corp. I got video footage of Dave at the start (photo on left) and at the end; ditto for still pictures. I wanted video footage "in the can" in case I want to use it in my final project (tentatively called "The Intrepid Commuter") in my video class at the NW Film Center.

It was cloudy and cool, almost cold at the start. Fleece weather. Part way up--through the old growth forest--it was all mist and fog. Then the sun started to burn through and there were fab photo opps of fog in the trees. 

It was interesting--and gratifying actually, to be in a support role. I drove the coach's car up the course to the parking lot at the finish, and managed to get photos of the other animals. The support role is not one I usually assume--usually I'm the animal out there in the hunt. But this time was I pleased and quite content just to have the job of driving and taking pictures. 

But don't get the idea that sibling rivalry has melted away. Two days ago I bought a bike. No, not in the Lance Armstrong league of bro's but certainly no clunker with a coaster brake. Bro said I should do this race next year. Yeah? Stay tuned... Cheers.