The summer has already been busy for wildland firefighters in the Northwest. In June, we brought you a story about 24-year-old Teresa Brna as she was training to be a firefighter with the Ochoco National Forest. Now, she has experience out in the fire line, so we checked in with her to see how things are going.
Brna said before she started as a firefighter, she had visions of big flames and dramatic moments on the fire line. In reality, her crew spends a lot of time "mopping up" the fire: checking for hot spots after a fire has burned through an area. That means she's often on her hands and knees, feeling the sooty ground for warmth. She and her crew also spend a big portion of their time at base, sharpening tools, filling fuel canisters and making sure their trucks are resupplied so they're ready for a fire.
"Firefighting isn't really what I expected at all," said Brna. "I really love being outside and I like how much variety there is. Every fire is different."
She says she loves working with her crew, and she appreciates the diversity of their backgrounds. Brna also appreciates how her crew boss and the Forest Service prioritizes safety.
"That's something I really appreciate about my crew, and my crew boss. Fires burn out. There's not a fire that has ever burned that has not gone out," said Brna. "The really important thing is that everyone gets home at the end of the day."
Twenty-four-year-old Teresa Brna is excited about her first season of fighting fires with the Ochoco National Forest.
Amanda Peacher / OPB
Click the audio link above to hear the full conversation with Brna. And check back for updates as we follow her throughout the season.