The Big Burn | The Blow-Up | 2

Against The Odds

Wondery

Cassie De Pecol, History, Society & Culture, Dolby, Mike Corey, Dolby Atmos, Atmos

4.7 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 7 October 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As the fires spread, ranger Ed Pulaski tries to lead his men on a last-ditch effort to save the town of Wallace. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Soldiers race to build firebreaks around Avery, and head ranger Bill Weigle realizes he’s made a terrible mistake.

Order your copy of the new Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odds: Tales & Tips for Animal Attacks and Natural Disasters, for stories of everyday people confronted by life-or-death situations, showing you how they survived—and how you can too. Learn more at SurvivalGuidebook.com.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Against the Odds early and ad-free right now.
0:05.6	Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.
0:09.6	A listener note, Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events.
0:14.5	Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research.
0:19.1	This episode contains scenes that depict racist attitudes and language.
0:22.6	Please be advised.
0:23.6	Domenico Bruno jabs his shovel into the dirt floor of the forest and he yelps in pain. He looks down and he sees that he's hit a rock beneath the soil.
0:41.3	The reverberation up the shovel stings his hands.
0:44.3	The pain is all the worse because at this point his palms are just one big blister.
0:50.3	Since Dom and his friend, Giacomo Vyatoni, joined this firefighting crew two weeks ago,
0:56.0	it's been nothing but unrelenting toil.
0:59.0	They've been working 17 hours a day building fire breaks to protect Wallace and the other mountain towns from wildfires that have been breaking out all over.
1:08.0	Dom stops to sip some water from his canteen and splashes a bit on his raw hands.
1:14.7	The water is lukewarm from the day's heat.
1:17.8	Even at this hour, close to sunset, the ferocious wind feels like a blast furnace.
1:24.1	As he screws his canteen shut, Jocamo taps him on the shoulder.
1:28.3	Hey, give me some water. My canteen, it's empty. You need to ration your water.
1:33.3	Yeah, but just give me some. I'm tying over here.
1:37.3	Dom shakes his head, but hands over his canteen.
1:41.3	Jocamo really gets on his nerves sometimes.
1:45.0	Still, he's the only friend Dom has in America.
1:49.0	After a minute, they get back to work on their firebreak.
	...

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