Hi everyone, people often ask how they can support more great stories from the

wild and we really appreciate you asking. Thank you. The wild is a joint

production of myself and KUW Public Radio and you can support this vital work

and become part of the wild community by checking out our show notes. There

you'll find information about supporting my wildlife organization Chris Morgan

Wildlife through Patreon. Help fuel the next adventure. Okay enjoy the

episode guys. Alright that's a good milestone. The first thousand feet gained.

Put this up at about 2700 feet. I'm huffing my way up the side of a mountain

climbing about 5,000 feet in five miles. In this first mile. Ah steep it's like a

staircase. I'm in the wilderness of Washington States North Cascades. I took a

16 mile long boat ride to get to this trail I'm hiking. It's warm and the sweat

stripping in my eyes. 3,000. I put this close to 5,000 feet. I'm going to a

famous fire lookout tower known as desolation peak. I'm carrying my tent all the

food and water I need and lots of layers to look out at the top of the ridge and

it's a notoriously tough place to get to. My thighs are already burning. Huge

Douglas fir and ponderosa pine conifer trees open up into lush green meadows and

icy cold rain is now pouring down. Oh, what a staffer. It's strange to think

about fire in a place this wet but the American West is a fire landscape. Since

1983 there's been an average of 70,000 wildfires every year in the United

States and the wildfire season is getting longer. Warmest springs and long dry

summers at the cause. Things are changing fast in this ancient landscape. So how

have wildfires and our philosophy of fighting them changed over the decades?

...