BY: KASSANDRA DZIKEWICZ

This past summer there has been a flurry of fires sweeping the west coast destroying everything in their pathway. We watch the news and hear of the flames that are swallowing the west, tree by tree, but never hear from those who know the fires inside and out—the men and women from all over the world working long tiresome days to combat these fires. This tough job is not one that should go unnoticed as these fire fighters work 17-hour days in hopes to save the forests, and local towns from being destroyed.

You look up, and the smoke is thick. It travels through the forest covering everything in a dark blanket.

With only ten days of training, it can be a nerve-racking experience to take on your first fire.

The job requires an entire lifestyle adjustment from living in tents to early mornings and late nights, but you have your crew to lean on, and they show you the positives in every situation.

A young wild fire fighter explains his first day on the job: “My first day was probably my toughest day. I started by working a 17-hour day, grinding through a swamp with wet feet. There were some positives to take from it though. I saw a giant black wolf like one off of game of thrones and cut down my first tree, it was definitely a first day to remember.”

“I remember walking through one area that was all green—we put our hose in the Lake and had lunch. We left the area and the next day we went back to the same spot and there was no green left. It had all burned down. It was hard to believe all that could be gone in less than 24 hours.”

The flames cover up to 32,000 hectares of forest. The smoke rolls in as the trees topple over.

Fifty kilometre winds fuel the flames and blow the smoke in every direction. You trek through angry flames with a heavy hose, stumbling over the fallen trees.

You have to watch your step as the flames chase you.

Your eyes fill with smoke, as they tear up and burn. You keep going despite the fact that you can’t even see your own hands. You have a job to do.

For many of these wild land fire fighters this could be the most exciting task they take on in their entire life. There is something about the fires—the adrenaline, the hard work, the bond they share with their crew members—that keeps them coming back. For these committed workers this is not only a summer job, but also a part of who they are.