Reflections on Fifteen Years of Blogging on Aerial Wildland Firefighting

It was in January 2009 that I made a commitment to devote this blog to aerial wildland firefighting and related issues. If someone had told me 25 years ago that I would be writing a blog on aerial wildland firefighting I would not have believed them. Then a series of changes in my life 20 years ago started me on a quest to do some writing. I wrote a couple of articles related to a former job and then I took a trip to Malawi in 2007. I began this blog to record my thoughts before, during, and after my trip to Malawi. I had some hopes of turning my time in Malawi into something more than just a life changing trip. So I knew that at some point I would have to find something else to write about. I ran out of things to post about Malawi in early 2008 and then spent a few months writing about various things that interested me.

I got interested in wildland firefighting in the fall of 2008 after following a major fire in California so I began learning about wildland firefighting. To be clear, I am not a wildland firefighter, nor am I a pilot. It is hard to explain but deep down inside I knew that I wanted to write about aerial wildland firefighting and I knew that not being in the business would pose some challenges. I have to give credit to a couple of friends of mine for encouraging me to follow this dream, especially Tom Janney. Without Tom’s early help and encouragement and a couple of other friends in the business. the early days of this blog would not have been possible. 

I can never write from the point of view of a wildland firefighter or those who flew tankers and helos in support of wildland firefighters on the ground. What I lack in first hand experience, I’d like to think that I make up with my passion and some research skills that I learned in graduate school and a think tank where I used to work as support staff.

I make no money off this blog, it has been and will remain a labour of love. Sure I get discouraged sometimes, wondering why I keep the blog going. During those times when I am discouraged either something happens in the world of wildland firefighting that gives me a reason to keep going or a firefighter friend tells me that I need to keep this blog going. 

I owe a debt of gratitude to some good social media groups, blogs and websites for letting me observe news on current and past wildfires as well to my friends in the wildland firefighting business (past or present) for answering my questions. I sometimes delve into related areas, such as weather events, and first responders responses to flooding and the like. 

For those of you reading who are wildland firefighters on the ground or in the air and your support teams, I want you to know how much I care about what you do. In the way that I can, I hope that I honor you in this blog.

Finally, I save the most important people for the last. That is you, my readers. Whether you drop by only on occasion or are a frequent reader, I do this blog for you. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart for reading and being a part of my journey. I hope to keep this blog going for many more years.