Wildland Firefighting - What did I get myself into?

Year 1

You will always remember your first fire, at least I know I will. It was spring 2018, I had just finished my undergraduate degree in Health and Physical Education. I knew I needed a summer job that paid well since I was planing on going to New Zealand the following year for school. My uncle worked as a Wildland Firefighter (WFF) for several years and always tried convincing me that I would be a good fit for the job. As it turns out, one of my new friends from University worked as a WFF for a few years and she too, was trying to convince me to join. So without knowing what to expect, I enrolled in the SP100 - Wildland Firefighter training in Sudbury, Ontario.

As found on the Ontario Ministry Website, the 40-hour course is intensely focused on safety and will prepare you to assume the role of an entry-level forest fire crew member. You will be trained in the maintenance and operation of equipment, including the power pump, the proper use of suppression hand tools, communications equipment and camping gear. You will also learn about basic fire behaviour and fire terminology. https://www.ontario.ca/page/sp100-wildland-firefighter-training 

Even after completing this training, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. But there i was on my way to Hearst, Ontario (middle of nowhere), scared shitless because I knew my life was about to change.

Fast forward to a few weeks into the fire season, we already had our first fire. Spring fires tend to move fast and are often looked as being the most dangerous because of it's quick moving ability with the changing seasonal winds. Now, something to keep in mind is that an initial attack fire crew normally consist of 4-5 people; 1 crew leader, 1 crew boss, 2-3 crew members. Thankfully we weren't the first "crew" there, because we were a mashup of people but I remember thinking "what did I get myself into?". When we got to HEA 001, all of my training and knowledge went out the window. It was extremely smoky, visibility was poor and I had a hard time breathing even with my buff covering my nose and mouth. I remember the adrenaline rush , the excitement, the hard work and not knowing where I should be or how to help. It was chaos to say the least, but I loved it. Little did I know, that would be the start of a new found love and excitement in my life...

Stay tuned for more...

-Julia