Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jesse
Dust kicked up as the helicopter settled down for a landing behind Willow Brook Fire & Rescue. This was shaping up to be a busy fire season in Alaska. Although most seasons were busy for our crews. Alaska was massive, and we also served the Western United States when called. Yet, fire seasons had been getting worse everywhere out West. Climate change had led to drier, hotter summers. With the addition of the swaths of forest ravaged by spruce bark beetle in Alaska, the landscape was ripe to serve as fire fuel.
This time, we’d actually gone out to do some preventative, controlled burns in areas that were considered high risk. Whether fires were planned or not, it was still a ton of work. I was weary, ready for a hot shower, and I missed Charlie.
As I stepped o
