By Seth A. McConnell

I think I can speak for almost every journalist out there when I say I live for breaking news.
There is a rush that comes with being in the moment when something unpredicted happens.
Today was no different.

I was on my way back from Hill City when I noticed a small plume of smoke to the South.
At first I blew it off.
“It’s too late in the season for a wildfire and we have had too much moisture.”
As I approached Rapid I could see the plume building and knew it was much more than someone burning a slash pile or a prescribed burn. After a quick phone call to the newsroom to confirm my thought I was off to Custer. (Thank God I left my nomex and fire gear in the trunk of my car )

Normally on the first day of a fire they keep you back as far as possible. So I wasn’t in a real hurry to get there as the access I had from the road would be, more than likely, all the closer I would get anyways.
I stopped along the way to grab an artsy shot of the fall colors and the building plume of smoke.

Since we are often kept at a distance on the first day we end up shooting the ever-famous plane or helicopter flying into or out of the smoke plume. Sometimes we luck out and get close enough to get them dropping a load. I didn’t have such luck this afternoon as I was awaiting the arrival of Fire Information Officer Beth Hermanson.

Generic I know but I wasn’t sure of the access I would have so I had to take it. (I learned very early in the fire season this year that it maybe a generic shot but if I don’t come back with it I’ll hear about it. So better safe than sorry)

Today was apparently my lucky day in every other aspect.
I was the only journalist in the staging area and I got amazing access. (both of which are very unusual)

They let me out in the staging area where they were setting up a makeshift helipad.

And on to the airstrip where they were refueling and loading the planes with retardant.
Which was a place I learned very quickly that I did not want to be as I was almost blown over 3 separate times by the planes propeller. The average person would’ve taken off after one, two at the most but I held out until after the third because I didn’t feel I had the shot. I knew I wanted the pilot sticking his head out of the window and I pulled a move I’m calling the Kettlewell. Which basically means I find the angle I want and stay put until what I want to happen, happens. Which is what the interns told me Kettlewell does on a fire.

The thick smoke and the late afternoon sun created beautiful light. It was actually very hard to shoot in. I couldn’t use fill flash because of the smoke. I couldn’t overexpose to pick up detail in the shadows as the “Heavenly Rays” of light would blow out completely losing the intended effect. So I made a happy compromise and over exposed by 1/2 to one full stop… it kind of worked.

I had never been on an actual fire line prior to today (as the information officers this summer kept us away…) and honestly I never would want to be there if I didn’t have to.
I have an ever-growing amount of respect for those who choose to do this job.
The heat was incredibly intense, the hike in was grueling up steep and rocky terrain and my eyes burned and watered intensely from the smoke. Which I couldn’t escape from no matter where I turned. My protective eyewear was useless as the smoke just got trapped behind the lens.
I was incredibly tired, dehydrated and soaked in sweat when I got back to the suburban and I was only there for an hour or so and carrying three camera bodies, a fire tent and water.
I can only imagine what its like to be on the hot end of the fire for 16 hours, carrying a 40lb pack and a shovel or axe (and for the unlucky one a chainsaw over one shoulder), all the while cutting fire lines in rocky, steep and unforgiving terrain.
If your a fire fighter and read this. Thank You.
I could not do what you do.

The rest of these are from the outtake reel (often I have more images than I submit for publication. They are often set aside for one reason or another, usually I have another image that is similar and just a stronger image or its been nixed by a higher power or I have better images and have no need to correct images from the b-pile.)

I started work at 9:30 this morning and it’s now 10:30.
I smell like a bbq, my eyes burn and I’m wore out.
Thank God I have the next two days off.

-S

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