Story and photos by Justin R. Robbins, Outdoor Recreation Planner for the BLM King Range National Conservation Area
This past holiday season was like no other for me. For two weeks I was asked to serve as a Resource Advisor on the Thomas Fire in Southern California. While on the incident, the Thomas Fire became the largest fire in California history and it proved to be the toughest fire assignment of my career. Seeing and walking along mountain ridge after mountain ridge, once covered in green vegetation and now burned black gave me plenty to think about each day on the fireline. On the final night of my assignment, a chance encounter proved to be the biggest challenge of all and humbled me to my core.
I sat quietly and alone in a restaurant booth. Tired and exhausted from long days on the line I stared straight ahead and sipped hot water. Across from me at another table, the scene was very different.
At this table, everyone was smiling and laughing. Three generations of the same family had gathered to share food and enjoy each other’s company. I took an immediate liking to all of them.
“What nicknames does your dad call you,” one uncle asked his niece.
“Pookey,” she proclaimed. I smiled as I looked on.
“Go sit with your uncle,” the dad told his young son.
“Uncle David bites,” said the young boy struggling to free himself from his dad’s clutch. I smiled again. This smile caught the eye of grandma. She turned to me and asked if I was enjoying the conversation. I nodded yes.
She followed that question with another. “Are we being too loud?” I shook my head no.
She began to beam with light as only a grandmother can. She gave thanks for my patience. I looked to them all and began to speak, “I’ve been with firefighters for the last two weeks. I am enjoying your conversation immensely.” They all began thanking me profusely. They said I was a hero and described all the damaged they has seen from the Thomas Fire as they drove up the coast to Santa Barbara. The family kept calling me a hero. I felt embarrassed and unworthy of such attention and so thanked them all for the kind words.
I am not a hero. There were many heroes on this fire and others, and I was not one of them. The real heroes, people who risked their lives in selfless acts of courage to control the largest wildfire in California history, deserve this family’s praise and to be honored by every family affected by the fire. That is not me, not even close. The real heroes deserve real praise.
Please allow me to sing praises to our firefighting men and women. They come from every corner of our country. They each have their own story of sacrifice and courage. They all deserve our praise, our gratitude and our commitment to help them when their time of need comes. It will come. It comes to all of us. Remember their service and be the grateful nation they so deserve.
On behalf of our public lands and on behalf of the American people I thank each firefighter and each person who worked to support firefighters in 2017 and for these eleven days of 2018. Thank you.
Justin also captured firefighters in action not only on the Thomas Fire in Southern California but the Rebel Fire, Horse Creek Complex on the U.S. Forest Service - Willamette National Forest and the Salmon August Complex on the U.S. Forest Service - Klamath National Forest.
