After I spent a summer tree-planting in Northern Ontario, I thought about the natural progression to become a forest firefighter. The experienced planters I knew took training courses when the planting season ended in preparation for the fires that are sure to come during mid-to-late summer. This "training" included learning how to wrap yourself in a fire-retardant blanket as protection from the flames.

By most accounts, it is a step below going to Alaska and crabbing on the crazy job meter, but it’s the next thing to do for many grungy and smelly college-aged kids.

Since then I've seen documentaries which have highlighted the extreme dangers of forest firefighting, which primarily consists of trying not to get surrounded by fire due to changes in wind direction, fuel sources, etc. This picture illustrates just how determined wildfires can be.

Glad I stayed in Kingston and painted houses the next summer.