A brief sojourn in the Park

I've worked at Yellowstone since april, but have only spent a few days actually in the park- our job has been far more likely to bring us to California this year. So when we were out in Cali and heard rumours of a fire making thousand acre runs in Yellowstone, we figured that was where we would end up next. Sure enough, we did, just in time for the fire to really lay down and mostly go out. Still, we got five days of good work in on it, mostly pulling hose from the firelines and from around structures at Fishing Bridge, rehabbing line, and general clean-up. It was gorgeous out there, and every day brought National Geographic moments- the moon coming out from behind a cloud as a bison ambles by and a flock of Canada geese fly overhead. Sunrises & sunsets over Yellowstone Lake, each spectacular and unique.

Now it seems like fire season is dying down, a really odd situation for mid-August. We'll get out again soon enough, but many crews and resources are just sitting around. Since we aren't very well paid, most folks depend on some overtime to make ends meet, especially those of us who are laid-off during the winter, and this may not pan out for many this year.

And finally, it seems almost definite that Karinne, Java, and I will be moving soon to the Black Hills of South Dakota. I got a permanent job on the Black Hills Fire Use Module, and will be starting as soon as the slow gears of government hiring can crank my paperwork through the system. It'll be a longer season there, with more prescribed fire, which is what I like. The Hills were my first experience with living in the West, way back in '96, and I've liked them ever since.