Hello Everyone,
I hope your are doing well. It has been a while since I last posted a comment. I thought you might enjoy “Reflection.” It has been published by polarexpressions@shaw.ca I hope you enjoy the read.
ReflectionIt’s afternoon, the most dangerous time for a wildfire. The sun is hot, relative humidity is
low, and the winds are high. There is a small amount of moisture in the vegetation due to
dry and hot conditions which makes fires more flammable. “The witching hour” is what
the crew call it. A time when bad things can happen during a fire.
Forty-year-eight-year-old Liam takes a deep breath as he tries to ignore his bone-deep
exhaustion. Twenty years as a firefighter and 12-hour shifts in the bush over the last four
days is physically exhausting, and he wishes he could reach the back muscle
which is experiencing a spasm.
Missing his eight-year-old son and his wife, he steals a couple of minutes to reflect
on their last conversation.
“Liam, I fear for your life out in the bush. I worry that one day you may not come home,” said
his wife wrapping her arms around his waist, tears in her eyes.
“I hate seeing you upset. Let’s talk about it the next time I’m home,” said Liam kissing her
on the cheek.
The firefighter navigates the forest’s steep, rocky terrain in rubber boots, coat and trousers,
and winces as he steps in a rabbit hole.
His gloved hand adjusts his yellow fireman’s helmet as the weight shifts the helmet’s
center of gravity. And as the hours pass, the helmet feels heavier and heavier as he and
the crew move closer to the fire. He is also concerned that climate change may affect the
rate of the fire’s spread and make it unpredictable.
Flashes of light shoot across an orange sky. A roaring blaze immediately follows and
produces dense smoke. The fire snaps, and whooshes with fury. Branches and twigs rich in
flammable oils and resins gasp for breath while the fire feeds on them.
Liam and his crew immediately construct a firebreak. They create a man-made gap with
all the combustible material and vegetation they can find. The barrier will stop or slow the
progress of the fire. The biggest hazard to the firefighters being the radiant heat should they
become surrounded by a blaze. Underwood and deadwood are removed exposing bare
ground with the barrier being wide enough so the fire cannot burn across.
And for the umpteenth time Liam prays for rain. It might reduce the concentration of smoke
In the air as the water droplets capture and bring the smoke particles to the ground.
Liam hurries before the smoke can mix with a cocktail of hazardous air pollutants,
contaminate the air and release large quantities of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere.
Chills run down his spine. He feels his heartbeat rapidly in his chest. He fears being
trapped in a fire with no visibility and no air left to breathe. Dying. No one to look after his
family.
The sky is getting dark. A gut-wrenching sound.
It can mean only one thing. A blow-up event. A catalyst which causes the wildfire to
Increase and spread.
Liam and the crew have no choice. It is time to disengage and retreat.
They move along an escape route to a preplanned safety zone where an area is
cleared of flammable materials. It will provide him and the crew with a lower risk of
danger or injury from the approaching fire.
They pass an elk and deer who escape the fire’s path and run into a lake for safety.
A snake slithers unannounced into a burrow. But soon the wildlife will have to search for a
new habitat as their shelter and food source disappears under a cloud of smoke.
A year later, while new growth flourishes, and seeds in the floor of the forest is
germinating, Liam takes a moment to think about his time in the bush. It was
physically demanding but rewarding at the same time. He had no regrets.
The fire safety consultant for the city adjusts his necktie and grabs his briefcase off the
kitchen table.
He smiles at his wife and kisses her on the cheek.
“I should be home around 5:00 p.m.” he says before he walks out the door.
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