Florida Division of Forestry Duty Officer Helps Battle Alaskan Fires
Vickie Lehman, a Florida Division of Forestry duty officer from Manatee County, has been spending 15 to 16 hours a day helping coordinate firefighters as they battle the largest of Alaska's wildfires.
Known as the Taylor Highway Complex, three large fires are burning in close proximity to each other.
All the fires were sparked by lightning, according to Matt Weaver, a fire information officer with the state of Alaska. So far, only two structures have been lost.
"We say we lost two, but what we should be saying is we saved 110," Weaver said.
People from all over the United States have gone to Alaska to help contain and extinguish the fires.
"In the last week we counted about 19 or so people from the state of Florida," said Ed Flowers, district manager of the Division of Forestry.
Flowers said Lehman is the only person from his office now there. Lehman has been with the Division of Forestry since 1987.
Used to the sweltering heat of Florida summers, sleeping in a tent during cool Alaska nights has taken some getting used to, but Lehman said the biggest obstacle was the constant daytime.
"You're going to your tent at 11:30 at night and it's daylight," Lehman said.
When she arrived in Alaska, Lehman purchased a sleep mask as a souvenir. She never knew how useful it would become. Lehman said she has used it every night.
The only showers available are in the Tok K-12 School, which has served as a makeshift office for some of the firefighters and support staff.
Being sent to Alaska was not a shock to Lehman, who has traveled to Montana two times in the past to aid with wildfires. According to Flowers, a national computer program finds personnel available. When people are contacted, they have a very limited amount of time to prepare to leave.
"When you put your name in availability, you should have your bags packed," Flowers said.
Lehman is glad to help and was excited to go.
"It's quite an assignment," Lehman said, "I said I couldn't pass this up."
