PHOTOS FROM MY FIREFIGHTING YEARS
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| Author and Smokey Bear (Opie) Florida (Flor-ee-da) Ranger Station, Santa Rita Mtns. AZ 1976 |
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| Box Fire, Southern AZ, 1976 |
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| Hog-Fong Fire Klamath National Forest 1977 |
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| Hog-Fong Fire 1977 |
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| Hog-Fong Fire 1977 |
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| Hog-Fong Fire 1977 |
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| My first car, Skyler, parked in front of my quarters at Florida (Flor-ee-da) Ranger Station, 1977 |
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| Me, in fire clothes, 1977 |
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| Author and part of Flagstaff crew 1979 (Jeff on left; Charlie on right) |
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| Alaska 1980 |
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| Posing with "Smokey" (sans head) in the Anchorage office, 1980 |
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| Smoking salmon at Skilak Station. Notice all of the head scratching...no, not 'pondering'...mosquitoes. |
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| Helicopter pre-flight maintenance 1976 |
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| Painting the buildings at Florida Ranger Station 1978 Yeah, that's me. |
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| One of many parties at Florida (Flor-ee-da) Ranger Station, Santa Rita Mountains, AZ, 1976. I was a bit tentative about the attention. |
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| Paracargo drop from a "Gremlin Goose". Alaska 1980 |
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| My sister, Elaine, and I, when she and my parents came to visit. Florida (Flor-ee-da) Ranger Station Santa Rita Mtns., AZ 1976 |
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| Me, handing out balloons at the Soldatna Fourth of July Parade. Alaska 1980 |
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| Kenai, Alaska 1980 L to R: Mark M., Sean F., Dan B., Karin, Fred, Ichabod, Fogie, Craig G., Rob, Linda Strader (author)  Kenai, Alaska 1980 Me, attaching a "Hover-hookup"  Soldatna, Alaska parade 1980 |
9 comments:
Linda, this looks exciting, scary, hard work. But thanks for the fire protection you provided.
We live inside the burn are from the 1977 Hog Fire and had our first wildfire since then this last summer. I wasn't here for the '77 fire but I know the fire last summer was managed quite differently. There were a number of female firefighters on the crews we worked with, engine captains even. Perhaps things are changing in multiple ways…
I'm working on a history project for the local watershed restoration group here on the Salmon River (srrc.org) and part of the project is some basic historical documentation of the fires here. Would it be possible to include a couple of your Hog Fire photos from your block on this online history timeline? We are lacking good photos locally from that fire. I can provide more info if you'd like.
Many thanks,
Scott
Hi Scott,
Very cool that you found me! Thanks for your interest. I don't mind you using these photos as long as you credit my blog (and provide a link). The photographer was actually not me, so please give credit to Mark South.
Not much has changed for women in fire. Just not to many of us willing to do what I did, or put up with the hassle.
Please provide me with a link once you publish the photos. I'd like to link back to you.
Thanks,
Linda
Thanks Linda.
Here's the history timeline.
This is the work-in-progress link and it will end up changing when it goes live. It will be reachable through the <a href="http://srrc.org>Salmon River Restoration Council</a>'s website.
Scott
Hi Linda, I am trying to get ahold of Charlie Dill (whom I fought fires with in Naches, WA in 1978 and 1979). I see a "Charlie Dill" in your AK photo (1980) and I had heard he had gone to Alaska. Do you have any contact info for him? Thanks! Mike McKenzie
Is this site still active at all? About 6 weeks ago I posted an inquiry about a friend I had lost track of--Charlie Dill--is this site maintained or visited any more?
Hi,
I did respond...guess you didn't get it. No, I do not know where Charlie Dill is. Sorry!
No, I received no prior response, but thanks for getting back to me. I'll keep trying other channels: one funny story: for the 1978 fire season he bought two VERY nice pairs of boots for work, and he would clean and fill each with water regularly--then oil them. One time in the Naches bunkhouse he forgot the water was running in the laundry sink (as it filled his boots) and he flooded the laundry room! He also could eat more than any other person I have ever seen--then or now! But a real nice guy...
Thanks for sharing the funny anecdote!
Good luck with your search!
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