The Big Burn | The Driest Summer | 1

0:00Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. A listener note. Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented. But everything is based on research. This episode contains scenes that depict racist attitudes and language. Please be advised.

0:34Forest Ranger Bill Weigel tosses a saddle over his horse, then hoists himself up. He dabs his sweaty brow with a handkerchief, then snaps the reins, and his horse begins a slow trot through the dirt streets of Wallace, Idaho. There's a strange crackling sensation in the hazy air today. It's almost electric, like something is about to reach out and shock him. Weigel doesn't like it. After a block, he spots a deputy ranger. Weigel pulls back on the reins to speak with him. Hey, I'm going to get some eyes on that fire over the next ridge. I'll be back in a couple of hours. It's 5.30 p.m. on August 20th, 1910.

1:18Weigel is Forest Supervisor at the Coeur d 'Alene National Forest in the Idaho Panhandle. As far as Weigel is concerned, it's the most beautiful stretch of land in the country. Rolling mountains of thick pine forest, dotted with alpine lakes and lined with crystal streams. But the region is experiencing the worst drought ever recorded here. Hundreds of small fires have broken out in the forested mountains above Wallace, a mining and logging town of around 3 ,500 people. Weigel and his rangers have been scrambling to fight them all summer. And these past few days, a brutal heat wave has swept in, with temperatures soaring past 100 degrees.

2:02Ominous reports are trickling in of larger fires breaking out. The sky, which has been eerie yellow for days, has now gone grey from billowing smoke. It's a bad sign. Weigel figures the fires are growing closer and Wallace will soon be in danger. Which is why he wants to put eyes on any fire in the surrounding mountains and determine whether people in town should prepare to evacuate. At the rate the fires have been moving, he figures they could reach Wallace within two or three days. At the edge of town, Weigel steers his horse up a bone-dry creek bed, then onto a trail that snakes up the mountain.

2:45As they climb higher, they're slammed by ferocious gusts of wind. It must be blowing 40 miles an hour. His horse is getting skittish, so Weigel leans forward to give the animal's neck a reassuring pat. Hey, you're okay, buddy. You're okay. After half an hour, Weigel lets out a groan of frustration. A huge tree has fallen directly across the trail. Even astride his horse, Weigel can barely see over it. He looks for a way around, but the thickets flanking the trail are too dense to navigate on horseback. Weigel has to walk from here. He dismounts and hitches his horse to a tree. The trunk of the tree is too big to climb over, so Weigel drops to his knees, searching for a way under it.

3:34Sure enough, he spots a gap. Weigel's a big man, but there's enough space for him to crawl under the tree. He stands, dusts himself off, and starts trudging up the trail. It's a struggle in the heat. He wishes he'd brought his canteen. The hot gusts of wind only make him more thirsty. Even after a rest halfway, Weigel is huffing and puffing by the time he gets to the next lookout. His red suspenders cut painfully into his shoulders. He's climbed so high that he's above the smoke line, giving him a clear view across the valley. And what he sees steals every ounce of breath from his lungs. There, on the other side of the valley, a ribbon of fire stretches across the face of the mountains.

4:23It seems to go on for miles. It dawns on Weigel that several wildfires must have merged into one. Now, propelled by dry winds, this monster is marching toward Wallace at a ferocious speed. The fire's already much closer than he feared, maybe four miles away. Weigel stares dumbfounded, then rips his hat off his head and tears back down the trail. Forget three days to evacuate. They're looking at maybe three hours before everything in Wallace, and every living soul in it gets devoured by flames.

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5:55From Wondery, I'm Mike Corey, and this is Against the Odds.

6:08Over the entire summer of 1910, less than a tenth of an inch of rain fell on the Idaho panhandle. The drought turned the Corps de Lane National Forest into a tinderbox and stuck in the middle were the small mining towns of Wallace and Avery. Then came the wildfires. Some were started by negligent silver miners and loggers. Others began when passing trains scattered embers from their smokestacks. Still other fires were sparked by lightning strikes. Initially, there were hundreds of small, separate spot fires. But when a massive windstorm swept through in August, many of those spot fires flared up and merged with each other.

6:51They eventually grew into the largest known blaze in American history. and the towns of Wallace and Avery lay right in its path. This is Episode 1, The Dryest Summit.

7:13Ranger Ed Pulaski slows his horse as several baby raccoons dart across the forest trail ahead of him. The last to cross, the mother, rises on her hind legs to stare at him. Pulaski tips his hat. Hey, morning, ma 'am. The raccoon skitters off. Pulaski watches her go for a minute before snapping the reins on Cherry Bell, his favorite horse, named by his daughter. It's a sunny morning in May 1910, and he's in no hurry, especially given the unpleasant task ahead of him. He's riding through the Coeur d 'Alene National Forest, south of Wallace, Idaho. Undulating ridges of white pine trees stretch for dozens of miles in every direction.

7:58Most of the trees are 60 to 70 feet tall, while the largest climb past 100 feet. They are truly majestic, and he loves this countryside. Pulaski is 6 '3". His body lean from years spent working for pretty much every mining and logging company in Idaho. He knows every ridge and gully out here. A couple of years ago, he joined the new U.S. Forest Service as a ranger. He loves the work. No more toiling in dark mining tunnels or chopping down beautiful trees for some big boss's profit. It's just him and his horse, ranging far and wide. He's 42, and he's finally found his favorite job. At least, mostly.

8:45Every job has its headaches, and in this one, it's checking for fraud among homesteaders. Under federal law, any person can claim 160 acres of national forest land as their own as long as they live there full-time and take steps to improve the land. Farming, raising livestock, building a cabin. And certainly some of the homesteaders are decent, hardworking people. But most aren't in it for the right reasons. They claim the land, only to hold it for the required five years, get the deed, and sell it to a timber company for big money. Pulaski figures probably 90 % of homesteads are a scam. He hates playing cop and reporting people to the government.

9:31Other rangers have even had to arrest people. But however distasteful, it is part of the job. As he rides along, Pulaski sees that it's shaping up to be another hot and sunny morning. Clear and warm. But that's not necessarily a good thing. It's hardly rained at all this year. As Pulaski passes a clearing, he's alarmed to see how brown the grass looks. Fields of buttercups, his wife's favorite flower, droop in the heat. The land is parched, and it's become a fire hazard. But as soon as he draws near to the next homestead, he forgets about the weather. He looks around. Huh. What a dump. The land belongs to a German immigrant named Hans.

10:19The lean-to that Hans sleeps in looks more fit to house pigs. A latrine trench sits right next door. Even here, from 100 yards away, Pulaski catches the odor on the breeze. He shakes his head as he urges Cherrybell closer. Hans spends most nights in the saloons of Avery, a rail stop town eight miles south of here. As he knocks on the tin sheet door, Pulaski prays that Hans isn't home. No such luck. Hans answers wearing nothing but dingy long jaunts. What the hell do you want? Well, good morning to you too, Hans. I'm here to check on the homestead. Last year you swore you were going to clear some of these trees and maybe dig a root cellar.

11:06What? I didn't say that. Yes, you did, Hans. And what about the house? You got a proper chimney yet? With those trees so close, you can't afford your house catching fire, can you? A chimney? Yeah, I built one. Look. Right over there. Hans stabs a thumb over his shoulder and grins. Pulaski peers past Hans' head, confused. He can't see any chimney. Now he's irritated. It's always the same story with Hans. Lots of talk and nothing ever happens. Hans, I'm going to have to report you. That's your third violation. You know what that means? This will likely go to court now. Are you threatening me? Nope, but I can't help what the court does.

11:46And if it comes down to it, I will testify against you. The two men stare at each other. Hard. Suddenly, Hans darts to his left, grabbing for a shotgun propped by the door. In a flash, Pulaski's right hand drops to his hip, and he whips out his revolver, pointing it at Hans. Hans freezes, shotgun in hand, his eyes wide with terror. And for a long moment, Pulaski is tempted to shoot him. He could say that Hans threatened his life, which technically he has. And Pulaski would sure love to rid himself of the hassle of Hans as well. But he can't do it. Hey, put that down, Hans! I said put the damn gun down.

12:31Good, good. Okay, I'm gonna back away now. Don't do anything stupid. Pulaski retreats, gun still drawn. Hans' eyes have narrowed into a murderous glare. Fine, I'll build the chimney. Hey, and a root cellar. I'll be back to check. Hans spits on the ground, then slams his tin sheet door closed. and Pulaski feels his shoulders relax. He holsters his gun, then swings up onto Cherry Bell. It's time to check on the next homestead.

13:14Domenico Bruno shovels a forkful of fried potatoes into his mouth as he scans the newspaper in front of him. He's sitting in the grub tent of a mining company, smack in the middle of a bleak desert in Arizona territory. Dozens of other dirty, hungry men chow down around him. It's beastly hot out. The grub tent is the only shade for miles. Domenico is reading the paper to improve his English. He's exhausted by the end of the day, so he always tries to read over lunch. Halfway down the page, he sees something interesting. He nudges his friend sitting next to him, Giacomo Viettoni. Whoa, whoa, look at this.

13:56It says they're hiring men to fight fires up north in Idaho. 25 cents an hour. We can make a fortune. This month, July 1910 marks three years since Domenico, or Dom to his friends, left his village in the Italian Alps and came to the United States. His dream is to make enough money to one day return to Italy and buy a farm. Last year, he sent$80 to his family, more than he could have ever made back home. And with this firefighting job, he could make$15 a week. He's lucky to make$12 now, and the work is back-breaking. But Giacomo grunts. He's three years older and considers himself wiser. Fighting fires?

14:42That sounds even worse than mining. How is it worse than mining? At least up there in the north, there's trees. And look, it says it's in the mountains. Don't you miss the mountains? I miss the mountains back home. American mountains? They're ugly. Dom concedes this. Their first job in America involved digging coal in the mountains of Wyoming. And it wasn't exactly scenic. Still, the thought of higher pay captivates him. As he's finishing the article, a foreman for the mining company enters the tent. Shovel it in, boys. Back to work. Dom is confused. They're supposed to get half an hour for lunch, but it's only been 15 minutes.

15:22He points this out to the foreman, then feels Giacomo kick him under the table. But Dom insists. We get 30 minutes. You talking back to me, spaghetti boy? Hey, I eat American food, not spaghetti. And we get our half hour. It's our right. Quick as a rattlesnake, the foreman swipes his hand across the table and sends Dom's bowl of potatoes flying. The crockery smashes on the ground. The foreman smiles. Oh, look at that. You broke your spaghetti bowl. That's coming out of your paycheck. Anybody else got a problem here? Giacomo grabs Dom and hisses at him in Italian to shut up. Still seething, Dom follows his friend out of the tent and into the blazing sun.

16:07But he keeps the newspaper tucked in his pocket. He's decided. He's going to get that job in the Idaho mountains.

16:21Ranger Ed Pulaski spurs Cherry Bell up the ridge in the forest, the smell of burning timber thick in the air. It's a squeltering afternoon in early August in the Coeur d 'Alene National Forest. With spot fires dotting these woods, he's ridden up from Wallace with ten men, mostly out of work loggers. He hired any man who had a horse. As the ground levels out, the men emerge into a broad clearing. Some years ago, loggers felled some trees here to make room for a small schoolhouse and a ranger station. Basically a wooden bunkhouse. And now both structures are in danger of going up in flames. Along one edge of the clearing, five-foot flames leap from the undergrowth, licking the trunks of the white pines above.

17:09Burning embers have settled onto the roof of the schoolhouse, and Pulaski can see that it's starting to catch fire. The school isn't much, just white clapboard beneath a tar paper roof. But he and his men need to save it. If they don't, it'll spread to the ranger station. As they dismount, a ranger from the station house points to some ladders and buckets lying nearby. Unlike in Wallace, where there are hoses and pumps, they don't have any real equipment here in the wilderness. Pulaski calls out instructions. Hey, Harrison Jones! wet those blankets with water from the creek, and drape them over the roof.

17:46Everybody else, grab a bucket. His men snap to it, propping the ladders against the schoolhouse and carrying blankets and buckets to the creek. Once the blankets are down, they quickly form a bucket brigade, passing water up the ladders and empty buckets back down. But the blaze is moving faster than his men. The fire is eating holes in the school's roof. Pulaski urges his men to hurry. Out of the corner of his eye, Pulaski notices the ranger from the station sidle up to him. He throws the man in a patient glance and yells an order. Hey, what are you doing? Don't just stand there. Grab a bucket and pitch in.

18:24I will, I will, but listen, there's something I gotta tell you first. The ranger explains that he's been storing mining equipment in the station as a favor to the companies that had to withdraw from areas overrun with fire. Pulaski narrows his eyes. What sort of equipment? Um, well, uh, a dozen crates of gunpowder to start. As Pulaski tries to process this, he hears a crashing sound. He turns to find his men running away from the school as its roof collapses, its iron bell clanging onto the ground. The collapse belches a thick shower of sparks in every direction. Pulaski squeezes his eyes shut and shields his face with his arm.

19:09He opens them several seconds later to an awful sight. The roof of the ranger station is ablaze. If the fire reaches the gunpowder inside, the explosion will send flaming embers drifting for miles and blow him and his men to pieces.

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21:37Ranger Ed Pulaski cups his hands and yells to his crew. Hey, don't just stand there. There's gunpowder in the station. We've got to stop that fire. Pulaski turns to give more orders. They need to transfer their ladders and wet blankets from what's left of the school. But before he can say anything, he hears whinnying. He's stunned to see half the crew is mounting their horses. Where are you going? Get back here! One of the men points and yells. Look, we're gonna get trapped! He's pointing at the perimeter. At least two-thirds of the clearing's edge is now on fire. Pulaski feels his heart hammering in his chest.

22:19They can't just leave the gunpowder. If it blows, the flaming debris will start an even bigger, more dangerous fire. Pulaski pleads with the men to come back, but they spur their horses and take off, intent on saving their own skin. Pulaski curses them, but there's nothing he can do. He turns to the four brave souls who've stayed. We've only got a few minutes. Forget saving the ranger station. Let's just grab the crates of gunpowder inside and move them to the creek. Pulaski leads the way inside the station, already filled with smoke. The wooden crates are stacked near a wall, and each one is so heavy it takes two men just to lift it.

23:01Outside, they hurry the crates over to the creek, then splash them down. Unfortunately, the stream isn't deep. The tops of the crates are still exposed. Pulaski orders the men to keep hauling the gunpowder. He runs the cherry bell and throws open the pack saddle. He grabs a crowbar inside and hurries back to the creek. While the other men bring more crates, Pulaski pries open the tops and uses a bucket to pour water on the gunpowder. When that proves too slow, he kicks the crates with his boot heel until the sides break and the powder inside spills into the creek, turning the water black. At last, all dozen crates are empty and wet.

23:45His men cheer. He orders them to mount up and ride out. He'll get them working on a fire break now, chopping down trees to contain this fire before it threatens anything else. There's a bigger worry gnawing at him too. That was a dangerously close call, and unless they get some rain soon and more reliable men, he fears they'll be facing an even bigger threat as the summer heats up.

24:20Domenico Bruno hops off the train at the station in Wallace, Idaho, and grins. He grabs the arm of his friend Giacomo Viettoni. Look at the mountains, Giacomo. Look. Both men drink them in. Tall, steep, blanketed with pine trees, just like the Alps back home in Italy. Dom's heart swells. It's August 4th, 1910. After reading about Idaho a few weeks ago, Dom finally convinced Giacomo to try their luck here. They waited until they received their next paycheck, then skipped town and caught a train north from Arizona. A minute after disembarking, they hear a booming voice. You fellas here to fight the fires?

25:04A tall red-headed man is approaching. His suspenders are straining over his big belly. He shakes Dom's hand. I'm Bill Weigel, forest supervisor. You ever fought a wildfire? Before Dom can answer, Giacomo pipes up. No, never. Not many fires in Italy. Dom is furious. He's going to cost them a job. Sure enough, Weigel frowns. Huh. Alright, well, better see what you can do then. Follow me. Dom shoots Giacomo an angry look. They follow the ranger across the street to a hardware store. While the Italians wait outside, Weigel goes in, then emerges a minute later with an axe. He hands it to Dom. Well, boys, half of fighting wildfires is clearing out trees and brush to make fire breaks.

25:52That deprives the fire of fuel, and it kills it. So, let's see if you can handle an axe, yeah? Go split that firewood there, on the stump. Dom shrugs. He chopped plenty of wood as a child. He sets up a short log on the stump, rears back, and splits it cleanly. Then he splits a second and a third. The big ranger turns to Giacomo and asks him if he can handle an axe too. Giacomo says, of course. Weigel slaps him on the back. Well then, you're already better than half the men here. Come with me. You're hired. We start this afternoon. We've probably got a few hundred wildfires out there now. It's a bit dangerous in places.