Roughing it in the fire camp

Working on 7,000 calories per day... photo by Torri Barco

Covered in soot and dried sweat, 1,000-plus firefighters return from a 15-hour work day of fighting the B&B Complex Fire. They line up outside of two tin trailers and wait for hours to use one of 30 shower stalls in the camp.

By the time they are showered and fed, they often head straight to the personal tents they carried from home and crash on a sleeping bag or small mattress. After five to seven hours of sleep, they wake up and head once again to fight the second-most expensive fire in the country -- one that is more than 15 times the size of Sisters.

Most of the firefighters work 14 such days before they get one or two days off, officials said. After that, it is indefinite when they will return home.

While they are in Sisters, fire camp provides a home that will sustain them with some amenities, ample food, supplies and sleeping accommodations.

About 40 camp crewmembers spent three full days building this home at the Sisters rodeo grounds, said Bob Harrel, base camp manager. The camp community is capable of housing 3,500 people, a population three times the size of Sisters, Harrel said. The camp, complete with yurt (tent) office spaces and supply units, currently holds 2,200 firefighters and support personnel.

It has cost about $28 million to sustain these fire crews and fight the B&B ComplexFire from August 19 to date, said Shelley Nolde, cost unit leader with the Great Basin National Incident Management Team.

Adam Perkins, 23, of Monmouth, Oregon, has been at the camp for 19 days, including two days off.

Perkins said firefighters read books and talk to other firefighters about non-work related topics to get through the weeks.

"We talk about life, school and things outside of fire. Even though we can't get away from it, we try to talk about other things," Perkins said.

Perkins said he and his crew members have not suffered from sleep deprivation.

"To the extent we work, by the time I shower and eat and hit the sack, at that point, it doesn't matter," Perkins said.

"Waiting in line for showers is what sucks. You can wait for hours. The hardest thing has been not being able to just go home and take a shower."

Firefighters consume 7,000 calories per day to sustain their hard physical labor. Caterers are contracted to cook and serve three meals per day and are required to make enough food to provide each firefighter with 7,000 calories, officials said.

Spread out among sheltered picnic tables, the firefighters consume large portions of various meats and potatoes. Meals are served with a salad bar and include entrees like roast beef, sweet and sour pork, hamburgers and fish.

Firefighters have stayed rather healthy compared to those at other fires, said Dawn Richardson, a registered nurse and EMT at the camp. She said common problems have been minor, such as indigestion, colds, sinus infections, dry eyes, sprained ankles, blisters and minor burns.

The visits to the medical tent have increased to 275 visits on one day last week from 125 visits on the first day, officials said.

The medical tent is set up like an over-the-counter pharmacy and offers free bandages, cold medicines, vitamins and community-donated clothes and toiletries.

Firefighter Kris Courts, 27, of Bend, said living luxuries are unimportant compared to job safety.

"The biggest challenge is coming back," Courts said. "I just want to stay safe and make it back to the rack at night."