Wildland firefighters from around the country set up camp at Ely high school
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Dozens of wildland firefighters have set up camp on a football field at Memorial High School in Ely to help combat the wildfires in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness. The firefighters, who come from around the country, began pitching tents there on July 17.
While it may seem odd, the choice comes down to logistics. Ideally, housing for response teams should be set up near an incident command post.
“It just depends on the area that we're in, the time of year and where we can get an agreement that it's OK to allow firefighters to camp there,” said Lenore Lamb, a public information officer for the BWCA wildfire response.
She said if school had been in session, the high school would not have been an option.
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Like other wildland firefighters, the ones stationed at the high school typically work 13- to 16-hour shifts, with 16 being the maximum for being out in the field. And Lamb said the typical assignment is 14 days long before firefighters get three mandatory days off for rest and relaxation.
“They make sure that you have that ability to rest and recuperate after such a stressful assignment,” she said. “Then you can be available again, just depending on your availability and what your day job is.”
While camped out on the football field, the firefighters there have been getting daily updates from a briefing station in the area. And they travel to a separate location for meals, which includes a full catering setup.
Since they're trained to work in remote areas, wildland firefighters are accustomed to setting up camp in unlikely places, and a high school is likely comfortable compared to some remote places they've camped. But they're getting evicted soon to make room for football practice. However, it won’t be an issue, as the firefighters plan to move to another area in the nearby vicinity.
