I am not sure exactly how we got here but from the time Ol’ Dutch was a child until now the affluence of the American people has grown astronomically. Recalling my younger days, I always seemed to get a basketball, football, tennis racket, skateboard or some other paraphernalia as a gift that could only be used out of doors. And, now looking back on that I am beginning to question that, just maybe, my mother was trying to get me out of the house and out from under her feet.

You probably don’t see wildland firefighters on the job because they usually work in remote areas. But with wildfires moving from the backcountry to backyards, the public is becoming more aware of the men and women who do this dangerous work. At the same time, people probably don’t know much about the very real health risks of the job. Now, it’s getting harder for anyone to know.