REVELSTOKE CURRENT EXCLUSIVE: a firefighter’s digital diary

By David F. Rooney

Watch the evening news almost any time this summer and you will have viewed scenes of British Columbia’s firefighters battling burning forests from one end of the province to the other — but only at a distance.

You would have seen videotape of water bombers, bucket-carrying helicopters and fire crews suppressing hot spots or conducting mopping-up operations — but only those taken from what fire officials determined was a safe distance.

What you wouldn’t see is a front-line view of fire fighting. Until now, that is.

The Revelstoke Current has been fortunate to receive permission to publish 42 images and one video of firefighters at work in the forests of our province this summer.

Ben Parsons, at age 20 the youngest crew boss with Debbie Long's Revelstoke-based Nakimu Ventures, provided The Revelstoke Current with images and video illustrating the work firefighters performed on the Glenrosa, Terrace Mountain, Perry River, Big Mouth Creek and French Creek fires this summer. David F. Rooney photo
Ben Parsons, at age 20 the youngest crew boss with Debbie Long's Revelstoke-based Nakimu Ventures, provided The Revelstoke Current with images and video illustrating the work firefighters performed on the Glenrosa, Terrace Mountain, Perry River, Big Mouth Creek and French Creek fires this summer. David F. Rooney photo

Taken by Ben Parsons, a crew boss with Debbie Long’s Revelstoke-based Nakimu Ventures, which contracts fire fighting services to the provincial government, the photos show you what it is really like: the smoke, the flames, the charred landscapes, the plants and creatures that survive the devastation and, of course, the people and machines used to combat wild fires.

The images were made at the 400-hectare (ha) Glenrosa, 9,277-ha Terrace Mountain, 125-ha-Perry River, 11.2-ha Big Mouth and 84-haFrench Creek fires this summer.

So, without further ado, here is a short video and Parsons’ terrific digital diary.

It's not pretty, but this gentle slope was a welcome place to sit down for a well-deserved lunch after a morning at the Glenrosa Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
It's not pretty, but this gentle slope was a welcome place to sit down for a well-deserved lunch after a morning at the Glenrosa Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A firefighter holds a squirming bull snake that survived the Glenrosa Fire by slithering into a hole deep beneath the forest surface. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A firefighter holds a squirming bull snake that survived the Glenrosa Fire by slithering into a hole deep beneath the forest surface. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A Nakimu Ventures fire crew cleans up after a day at the Glenrosa Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A Nakimu Ventures fire crew cleans up after a day at the Glenrosa Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
After a long day fighting the Glenrosa Fire, this firefighter wanted to do nothing more than kick back in the camp in Westbank and drink an iced tea. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
After a long day fighting the Glenrosa Fire, this firefighter wanted to do nothing more than kick back in the camp in Westbank and drink an iced tea. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Firefighters gave out over a devastated landscape at a pyro-cumulus cloud boiling up into the sky from the Terrace Mountain Fire near Kelowna. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Firefighters gaze out over a devastated landscape at a pyro-cumulus cloud boiling up into the sky from the Terrace Mountain Fire near Kelowna. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Your mouth goes dry just looking at this scene, which was all that remains in one burned-our section of the Terrace Mountain Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Your mouth goes dry just looking at this scene, which was all that remains in one burned-our section of the Terrace Mountain Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Nakimu firefighter Rochus Schneble gets ready to fall a tree at the Mustang Powder CAT skiing tenure which was burned by the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Nakimu firefighter Rochus Schneble gets ready to fall a tree at the Mustang Powder CAT skiing tenure which was burned by the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Flames devour a tree at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Flames devour a tree at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A helicopter buckets a a burning stand of trees at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A helicopter buckets a a burning stand of trees at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
"They really like us to see what it looks like from the air," says Nakimu crew boss Ben Parsons of this shot he took from a helicopter as he reconnoitered the Perry River Fire. Parsons had nothing but high praise for the pilots of both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft who flew constant missions to support the men and women on the ground. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
"They really like us to see what it looks like from the air," says Nakimu crew boss Ben Parsons of this shot he took from a helicopter as he reconnoitered the Perry River Fire. Parsons had nothing but high praise for the pilots of both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft who flew constant missions to support the men and women on the ground. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Firefighter Ryan Edwards gestures as he waits for a chopper to land with a new Nakimu crew at the Big Mouth Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Firefighter Ryan Edwards gestures as he waits for a chopper to land with a new Nakimu crew at the Big Mouth Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Neatly packed gear awaits a chopper at the old airstrip near the Big Mouth Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Neatly packed gear awaits a chopper at the old airstrip near the Big Mouth Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Like a landscape in Hell, smoke wreaths a slope at the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Like a landscape in Hell, smoke wreaths a slope at the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A helicopter heads off to get more water for its bucket at the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A helicopter heads off to get more water for its bucket at the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Yet another scene of smoke and flame at French Creek. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Yet another scene of smoke and flame at French Creek. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Nakimu firefighter Scott Devlin raises his head to watch a passing aircraft as he hoses down a hot spot at French Creek. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Nakimu firefighter Scott Devlin raises his head to watch a passing aircraft as he hoses down a hot spot at French Creek. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Here's something civilians don't see every day: a bucket carrying 1,200 pounds of water (that's about 143 gallons) gently douses flames at the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Here's something civilians don't see every day: a bucket carrying 1,200 pounds of water (that's about 143 gallons) gently douses flames at the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Helicopters play a key role in fighting forest fires in our mountainous terrain. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Helicopters play a key role in fighting forest fires in our mountainous terrain. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Another shot of that bucket dousing the fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Another shot of that bucket dousing the fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Firefighter Chris Speagle (in orange) makes his way past another firefighter to yet another part of the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Firefighter Chris Speagle (in orange) makes his way past another firefighter to yet another part of the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Julia, a young woman firefighter with the Nakimu crew, grins broadly at the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Julia, a young woman firefighter with the Nakimu crew, grins broadly at the French Creek Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Lunch is what you make of it. Ben Parsons used a hot spot to grill a cheeseburger for lunch one day at French Creek. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Lunch is what you make of it. Ben Parsons used a hot spot to grill a cheeseburger for lunch one day at French Creek. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
An unidentified Nakimu firefighter watches from a truck as a chopper buckets part of the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
An unidentified Nakimu firefighter watches from a truck as a chopper buckets part of the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Unless you're close enough to town to head home for the night you get to camp out a LOT when you're firefighter and that sometimes poses risks. This is what happened to the campsite at Eagle River Campground by the Skyline when a windstorm blew trees onto the trucks and tents owner by a crew of firefighters from Ontario. Fortunately, only one person — a female firefighter — was injured. She suffered a broken leg when a tree hit her tent. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Unless you're close enough to town to head home for the night you get to camp out a LOT when you're a firefighter and that sometimes poses risks. This is what happened to a truck at the campsite at Eagle River Campground by the Skyline when a windstorm blew trees onto the trucks and tents occupied by a crew of firefighters from Ontario. Only one person — a female firefighter — was injured. She suffered a broken leg when a tree hit her tent. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
This is another shot of the Eagle River Campground. Note the position of that tree. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
This is another shot of the Eagle River Campground. Note the position of that tree. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
This is what the Perry River Fire looks like from the opposite side of the valley. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
This is what the Perry River Fire looks like from the opposite side of the valley. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Getting to the scene of a forest fire can sometimes be a challenge. Nakimu firefighters foudn their way along a Forest Service Road blocked by wind-thrown trees they then had to clear out of the way. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Getting to the scene of a forest fire can sometimes be a challenge. Nakimu firefighters found their way along a Forest Service Road blocked by wind-thrown trees they then had to clear out of the way. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Firefighter Chris Speagle unravels a hose at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Firefighter Chris Speagle unravels a hose at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
The air ripples above the flames at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
The air ripples above the flames at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A cedar tree candles at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A cedar tree candles at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Ben Parsons' camera caught Nakimu firefighter Connie Meyer as she passes by a pile of burning slash at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Ben Parsons' camera caught Nakimu firefighter Connie Meyer as she passes by a pile of burning slash at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Is this hot enough for you? You have to be prepared for intense heat when you're a firefighter. This shot was taken at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Is this hot enough for you? You have to be prepared for intense heat when you're a firefighter. This shot was taken at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Like a scene from some kind of science-fiction film, firefighter Justin Dyck and a colleague emerge from the smoke that veils a machine at the scene of the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Like characters in a scene from some kind of science-fiction film, firefighter Justin Dyck and a colleague emerge from the smoke that veils a machine at the scene of the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Smoke billows over a ridge at Perry River. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
Smoke billows over a ridge at Perry River. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A tanker aircraft drops a load of fire retardant at Perry River. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A tanker aircraft drops a load of fire retardant at Perry River. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A firefighter perches atop a mammoth water truck at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A firefighter perches atop a mammoth water truck at the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A bird dog plane flies above the front line of the Perry River Fire with its siren blaring to warn firefighters of the approach of a tanker aircraft carrying fire retardant. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A bird dog plane flies above the front line of the Perry River Fire with its siren blaring to warn firefighters of the approach of a tanker aircraft carrying fire retardant. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A tanker aircraft make a pass above the fire line at Perry River to give the pilot a visual sighting of the drop zone. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
A tanker aircraft make a pass above the fire line at Perry River to give the pilot a visual sighting of the drop zone. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
After flying back around, the tanker drops its load of fire retardant on the front line of the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons
After flying back around, the tanker drops its load of fire retardant on the front line of the Perry River Fire. Photo courtesy of Ben Parsons

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