Ive heard that theres no bad day living in the mountains, but living through wildfires in northwest Montana for the past few weeks has made me question if thats true. I live at the Polebridge Ranger Station, inside Glacier National Park, and I work on a trail crew for the National Park Service. Two weeks ago, I drove my visiting family seven miles up the road to Bowman Lake for a day of fishing and paddleboarding. I took photos of my sister out in the middle of the perfectly clear water and pointed out crazy rock formations on Chapman Peak, some 15 miles away. We spent the whole day on the lakes beach while hundreds of other people came and went.
Today, the lakeshore looked like a scene from Cormac McCarthys . The beach was empty, and I couldnt make out the shoreline more than 250 yards in front of me. My voice sounds like Ive been smoking rolled cigarettes late into the evenings, and if I stop and think about it, I notice that my throat burns and Ive had a headache the whole day. A heavy, dry, ashy blanket lies over the entire parksmoke that burns my eyes like a green-woodcampfire. Yesterdays air quality rating in the nearby town of Columbia Falls, Montana, reached a particulate matter (PM) level of 278, according to the . Thats nearly three times the 100PM level that is considered hazardous to human health. But theres no place to get away from it. About 90 miles south of here, the town of Seeley Lake has had hazardous air since August 1 due to wildfires. Thats a month of taking in toxic air with every breath.
The fires started burning in Glacier in early August. Most sparked on August 10, the night more than 150 lightning-to-land strikes were reported. The fire crews had a quick response and went to work trying to manage everything that was burning across the vast national park. I worked on the beginning of the Sprague Fire. It was just another small-acreage fire when it startedabout four acres on day onebut its since grown to 14,750 acres and even part of the 100-year-old Sperry Chalet.
This summer has been the driest Ive seen in eight years of working at the park. Its been drier than my hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. August rainfall was recorded at .65 inches compared to the 20-year average of 1.21 inches. Granted, thats still more than August 2003, when we received only .12 inches of rain and suffered the most heinous fire year for Glacier in recent memory.
Its hard to know whats coming next. Our work truck only gets Canadian radio, and I heard one of their wildland fire managers say to CBC that this is the worst wildland fire year in 60 years. British Columbia has more than 140 fires burning, and Alberta has 17. Waterton National Park, Glaciers sister park to the north, shut its doors this week due to the 19,000-acre Kenow fire.
Though Ive never seen anything like this, I know these mountains have dealt with it before, and I know there are because of fires. Fires create snag forests that make for unique wildlife habitat. Its natures burn-and-rebuild model. To live through it, though, is downright oppressive. If the skies were clear, Id be able to see six fires from my housesome in the park, some in the adjacent national forest, and some on provincial land.
I havent seen any wildlife in three weeks. Usually this time of year Id see grizzlies, black bears, and elk. Recently, Ive seen just a few tiny black flies. Im trying to remain optimistic, and Im trying to trust that these fires are a vital part of the ecosystem. But right now, its no place for people.