"What we have here is essentially a small city," said Peter Frenzen of the U.S. Forest Service.
A self-contained city complete with plenty of food, running water and bathrooms.
"It's good to get back, check your feet make sure they're all right take a shower and just relax," said Skookum firefighter R.C. Huglen.
The bulk of the crews make their way in to Lowell High School during dusk after being out since dawn. After fourteen hours in the wilderness, many firefighters covered in dirt and smoke are hungry for fuel of their own.
"Yeah pretty exhausted, pulling hoes pretty heavy carrying stuff around," said Huglen.
"Food's good, when you're a firefighter you don't complain about the food, I don't," said Redmond Hot Shot firefighter Scottie Zemke.
At the baseball field behind the high school, hundreds of firefighters have set up individual tents as their home away from home, giving them a night's sleep after a long day of work.
Lowell High School has turned into a command post serving and housing 600 people, including not just firefighters but cooks, laundry attendants and support staff, many working around the clock.
"Many of the ranger districts already have agreements worked out with local schools and facilities like this one so in the event of a fire emergency the teams are able to move in quickly," said Frenzen.
Many of these firefighters only get a few hours to themselves, some check up on the days fire news around the nation, while others throw around a football to pass the time and relax.
Support has come from not just within Oregon, but the entire west coast and even folks from Massachusetts and Kentucky. The camp set up at Lowell High School is self supported by generators.
Folks in the Southern Willamette Valley could wake up to smoke Thursday morning.
Related:
