A group of 10 female firefighters from the Student Conservation Association (SCA) spent their summer in Alaska engaged in wildland firefighting. Operating in two teams of five during the warm Alaskan season, they were tasked with clearing and safeguarding forest areas near the Ikheenjik River, approximately 70 miles northeast of Fairbanks. The primary objective was to protect a historic mining site from the threat of a wildfire.
Under the guidance of Thomas Partipillo and Karen Scholl from the BLM Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS), Scholl, a seasoned wildland firefighter since 1998, led and instructed the team. She imparted skills for handling challenging situations and emphasized the critical importance of utilizing fire behavior prediction information, with safety being the foremost priority.
Sponsored by the National Park Service (NPS), the SCA group arrived in Alaska in the summer of 2023. The SCA, designed for youth and young adults, aims to cultivate future conservation leaders. The NPS has hosted this all-female SCA firefighting group in Alaska for two consecutive years.
The BLM AFS and NPS Alaska staff provided training to the SCA group, equipping them to qualify as competent wildland firefighters. The SCA actively encourages women to explore outdoor work, and the all-female crews create a supportive environment with experienced female instructors.
Hailing from various states such as Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, Wyoming, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Alaska, the 10 women were led by team leads Mindy Hawes and Sophia Weisman-Rowell, both in their first year of the SCA program. With backgrounds in forestry, fuels reduction, and trail work, they provided leadership for crew members many of whom were experiencing their first season in long-term outdoor projects. The season commenced on May 15 and concluded on August 18.
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