Weblog: Ospika: Fire Hours
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Yesterday we started working fire hours, which is what happens when the fire hazard is high for three consecutive days. We're not allowed to work after 1pm, so we start work extra early. The trucks leave camp at 3:30am and by the time we arrive at the block it's just light enough to work.
The fire hours are great for me. We stop working just as the day gets really hot, and we only work 9 hours, which seams really short after pulling 12 hour days (which even our foreman said is too long). It's nice to actually have a couple of hours to myself every day, and I'm able to keep my energy level higher throughout the day. Today we were on relatively flat ground and, for the first time ever, I was still able to walk normally after working. The only disadvantage is the mosquitos in the morning, but they're mostly gone after an hour or two.
Because of the shorter days, it's unlikely that we'll be able to keep on schedule, but there is still a chance that we'll be leaving for PG on the 30th immediately after work is finished at 1 (assuming it doesn't rain a bunch before then). We're working without any days off until we're done the block.
I forgot to write about this before, but there's a thief in camp. Various small items and change have been disappearing from people's rooms for the last few weeks. One guy's insoles were stolen from his boots! It looks like Vincent's waterproof socks were stolen as well. So far I haven't lost anything. Too bad our rooms don't lock.
Other thing I forgot about: I had said earlier that the breakfasts are hard to get down. Well I was just eating the wrong things. The cook will fry up an egg for you if you ask, so I have a couple of eggs on toast. I also have a bowl of oatmeal and a bowl of fruit. It's perfect. Unfortunately, breakfast doesn't start until 5am, so during fire hours I just have some cereal and fruit.
One guy found out that he has a warrant out for his arrest due to missing a court date. The police actually broke down his mom's door to find him. They know he's here, but he doesn't have any money and can't go back home, so basically he'll keep working unless the police come here to get him, and he'll turn himself in when we get to PG and try to get the whole thing sorted out there.
When we first got here, there was hardly anyone else but us brushers. Slowly more and more loggers have been apparing and, though we still outnumber them, it doesn't feel like we have the camp to ourselves anymore. I'd say there are about 15 loggers here now.
Posted on Fri, 27 Jun 2020 at Ospika Camp, BC, CA (altitude 716m) (map/google earth)
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