I heard from Ethan, the Captain of the Kentucky Pirate Party, on Wednesday, August 3rd, after he arrived at his station after leaving fire fighting training in Oregon. He was sent to battle the McKinney Fire in California. From Oregon to California to battle the McKinney fire, Thursday was Ethan’s first day deployed as a fire fighter during wildfire season. It’s in the very northern part of California near the Oregon border.

Ethan: Wednesday, August 3rd

No wifi, we are still loading gear at our station and getting equipment issued, but I have cell service for now. Tomorrow we we start on the fire at 6am.

Ethan: Thursday, August 4th

Back in town briefly to treat a crewman who sustained a heat case. We were climbing extreme inclines, and hiking steep rugged terrain.

We have been sawing and trenching just a few ridges over from the flames. It’s very rugged terrain with thick smoke so it’s hard to see flames in the daytime.

Our objective is to trench and clear vegetation to prevent them from spreading. There were some smoldering holes though, which can be a hazard they can collapse wider like a burning sink hole. It’s fire can spread under ground through root systems and cause like sink hole like a burning pit we seen a few of those.