Wildfires

Available for over a year

Parts of the world, such as Europe, have experienced record temperatures and, amid the heat, wildfires are burning. In the United States, there are several fires across large parts of the country. We bring together three specialist wildland firefighters to share what it’s like to do one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Whitney Lindsay, in Texas, became a firefighter four years ago as part of a special program involving military veterans. Jonathon Golden in Utah retired in 2019 after firefighting for 12 years. Chris Ashby in Oregon is both a firefighter and a crew boss. They discuss with host James Reynolds the impact of climate change, the rewards and the strains of the profession. “I think one of the parts that can be difficult as a firefighter is feeling like you’re able to absorb all this stress and to navigate your home life for a period of time,” says Chris. “But when it hits hard it hits hard and I experienced some mental health struggles a few years back. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.” Unfortunately, for one of our guests, firefighters were not able to reach her home and business in Portugal. Sonia owns Clube Equestre A Palmeirinha, a horse riding school in the Algarve. That was lost to the flames but she saved all of her animals. We introduce her to Sabrina, who is currently in Oakhurst, Mariposa County, in California. The wildfire there is the largest in the state this year. (Photo: Whitney Lindsay and her colleagues. Credit: Whitney Lindsay)