Exotic lizards, bronze sculptures and apple bran muffins. Perhaps these aren't the first thoughts that come to mind as ash from the Castle Rock Fire continues to blanket the town like the first snows of winter, but they are just as representative of this momentous event as the omnipresent fire trucks and the whump of heavy helicopters.
Since Saturday, Aug. 18, when the realization dawned on Ketchum residents that serious danger was a possibility and mandatory evacuation a reality, the reaction became one of community solidarity rather than individual panic.
"The generosity has been amazing considering that everyone's frightened by the uncertainty of the situation," said Lara McLean, a Ketchum Fire Department lieutenant, who was just beginning a 24-hour shift on Tuesday morning. "So many people have come by the station with everything from homemade cookies to notes saying 'thank you.'"
McLean added that the abundance of volunteer firefighters deserve praise for their dedication, as do the business owners in the valley who didn't hesitate to let their employees join the firefighting effort.
Ketchum Fire Department Engineer Annie Stout agreed with her coworker, saying the public support has been overwhelming, especially when she feels like she's simply doing her job.
"Of course, it does make you feel good when someone comes up to you in the grocery store and thanks you over and over," Stout said while strapping on various pieces of equipment in preparation for a busy day.
The support has extended far from the firehouse as well, with residents—especially those in areas where fire crews are standing by to provide fire protection—offering everything from hot showers to hot breakfast.
Bev McNeal, a fifth grade teacher at The Community School, spent Monday morning baking muffins for the fire crew set up a few hundred feet from her house in Hulen Meadows and offered them a spare bedroom should they desire something more comfortable than a sleeping bag.
While many of the residents in her neighborhood have chosen to voluntarily evacuate as the flames grew higher in nearby Adams Gulch, McNeal and her husband, Whiz, have chosen to stay put for the time being.
"At first I was shocked when the evacuation request came in late Sunday morning, as it was just a rumor mill out there with no real information at that point," McNeal said Monday, trying to prepare her classroom for the students' arrival next week. "But the support from friends and the community has been nothing short of moving, with people offering trucks to help us relocate and places to stay if the evacuation becomes mandatory."
While McNeal, like every other resident of the Wood River Valley, anxiously waits to see if the weather will cause a drastic impact in the near future, she expressed no anger that this is occurring in such close proximity to her house.
"Hulen Meadows borders a national forest, and we've made the choice to live here," McNeal said. "The reason there is a threat is also the reason this is such a wonderful place to live."
The threat was made obvious on Sunday night, as the ridge across from McNeal's house gave a perfect vantage point of gigantic flames eating up the hillside a few miles west of the homes in Adams Gulch.
Sitting atop the ridge with binoculars were Kate and Chris Dondero, who both work for Ketchum-based Eye Safety Systems, a company that manufactures goggles and glasses for military and firefighting personnel. As strong winds drove flames hundreds of feet into the air, the pair discussed a plan to help the effort in the best way they know how—by distributing protective eyewear to the forces in direct contact with the fire. They hope to have a shipment of 300 to 400 goggles and eyeshields arriving in Ketchum by Wednesday and to immediately get them to the firefighters who need them most.
"We want to do what we can to support what's going on right here in our back yard," said company representative Steve Dondero.
However, eyes aren't the only things that need protecting.
Robi Self, manager at Thunderpaws Pet Shoppe on Main Street in Ketchum, displayed a pair of Asian Water Dragons, an exotic species of lizard, which had been brought in by the Kassner family. Like the Kassner's, many other Hulen Meadows residents have received help in finding safe havens for their pets. Bellevue Councilman Chris Koch said he helped trailer five horses from Hulen Meadows down to Jim Super's farm in Bellevue, where they will stay until it is safe for them to return.
And even fake horses need shelter, too. A number of bystanders in downtown Ketchum were treated to a curious spectacle on Monday afternoon when four members of Alpine Tree Service transferred a piece by celebrated artist Deborah Butterfield from a home in Adams Gulch to the back yard of the Anne Reed Gallery. The striking bronze sculpture of a horse that looks as if were made out of driftwood now grazes in full view of Perry's restaurant patrons.
While for some it's skeletal horse sculptures, other evacuees have somewhat different values on what should be saved.
Standing in front of her pickup loaded with kayaks and skis, Laura Crist demonstrated the attitude of many of the adventure-seeking residents whose belongings are threatened. Crist had a more difficult time than most choosing what to take, being preoccupied with her wedding, which took place on Saturday evening while many of her neighbors were clearing out their houses. Crist said that rather than spoil the day for her and her husband, local skiing icon Reggie Crist, it just made it all the more memorable. Plus, it provided superb lighting for the pictures, she said.
As firefighters continue to pour into the area as quickly as the thick layer of smoke, the uncertainty caused by fickle winds is well balanced by one absolute certainty: Residents of the valley are prepared to support one another regardless of what happens next.
