The View from Here Figure 1 -- The iconic image of the South Canyon Fire blow-up that will claim the lives of 14 wildland firefighters. Acknowledging our current culture and its shortcomings while using its strengths to lead change. December 2018 The View from Here 1 This collection represents collective insight into how we operate and why we must alter some of our most ingrained practices and perspectives. Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3 I Risk ................................................................................................................................................ 4 1. The Illusion of Control ............................................................................................................. 5 2. It’s Going to Happen Again ................................................................................................... 14 3. The Big Lie – Honor the Fallen .............................................................................................. 19 4. The Problem with Zero ......................................................................................................... 26 5. RISK, GAIN, and LOSS – What are We Willing to Accept? .................................................... 29 6. How Do We Know This Job is Dangerous? ............................................................................ 39 II Culture ........................................................................................................................................ 41 1. US and THEM ........................................................................................................................ 42 2. Because It’s Fun .................................................................................................................... 47 3. Fire Culture ............................................................................................................................ 49 4. What Makes You Matter? ..................................................................................................... 53 5. Learning at Work – Safe Spaces Required? .......................................................................... 57 III Operations................................................................................................................................. 66 1. Same as It Ever Was . ........................................................................................................ 67 2. Own Your Strategy ................................................................................................................ 72 3. Fruit We Can Reach ............................................................................................................... 74 4. We are Wrong ....................................................................................................................... 82 5. The Lunch Spot ...................................................................................................................... 84 The View from Here 2 Figure 2 Introduction We Must Align Our Perspectives and Seek a Common Understanding This collection of essays—divided into three key categories: Risk, Culture, and Operations— daylights qualities and practices in the wildland fire service across a broad spectrum, from outdated and unwarranted to honorable and profound. We must acknowledge our current culture and its shortcomings while using its strengths to lead change. This collection represents collective insight into how we operate and why we must alter some of our most ingrained practices and perspectives. The main intent is to provide awareness for those decision-makers operating at crucial levels who are empowered to influence how we interact with fire across the landscape. We must align our perspectives related to risk and exposure if we are to advance our collective interest in the well-being of our workforce and our landscape. To fully appreciate the task at hand, we must also fully acknowledge the culture that supports and shapes the work as it’s currently performed. This collection is intended to illuminate the complexity of interacting with wildland fire while revealing the simplicity of shifting perspective. Common understanding will lead to actions that will ultimately advance our collective well-being. The View from Here 3 I Risk These six essays describe the collective tension around risk and exposure in the wildland fire service. Figure 3 – Becky Blankenship photo. The View from Here 4 1. The Illusion of Control Ready to tip some sacred cows? Figure 4 (This content originally appeared in the Spring 2016 Issue of Two More Chains that is available on the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center’s website: https://www.wildfirelessons.net/viewdocument/two-more-chains-spring-2016.) By Travis Dotson In the wildland fire service, we suffer from an “Illusion of Control”. This illusion is so pervasive it’s never even acknowledged, let alone discussed. The ever present assumption that complete control is possible puts us in a constant cognitive struggle to make sense of the frequent evidence to the contrary. We are not in control of the elements influencing fire, we are not in control of the other humans influencing our situation, and we are not even in control of our own perception of what the situation is. In spite of all this uncertainty, as we step into this dynamic and complex environment, we convince ourselves we are in control of our own safety. In spite of all this uncertainty, as we step into this dynamic and complex environment, we convince ourselves we are in control of our own safety. This unconscious self-deception—the illusion of control—is feeding our well-intentioned efforts to “get better” at our current way of doing things. What if we dropped the illusion and accepted all the instances in which we gamble? Could this acknowledgment provide a new perspective on when and where we are willing and not willing to take chances in this line of work? Maybe. The View from Here 5 Good old Wikipedia says: “The illusion of control is the tendency for people to overestimate their ability to control events.” Notice that the illusion stems from overestimating one’s ability to control. This is an important distinction. Complicating the matter, Wikipedia goes on to inform: “The illusion is more common in familiar situations, and in situations where the person knows the desired outcome.” I am rather familiar with the fireline. When I’m there I know what the desired outcome is. If I come upon a stretch of line dotted with sketchy leaner snags I tell myself to be “super heads- up” when I walk through. If I scramble down that piece of dirt and don’t get smashed— especially if a snag creaks and wobbles and I pick up the pace—when I’m back at the truck I can give myself credit for surviving (overestimating the extent of my control). But let’s face it, I was just rolling the dice. And I got lucky. Sticks and Stones For the most part, we accept the gambling involved with heavy things falling down onto us. Tops of trees and granite masses of multiple sizes whiz by us on a fairly regular basis. When someone does get mangled by forest shrapnel, we typically attribute this to “wrong place/wrong time”—which means chance (bad luck). To be realistic, on any given day it’s a good bet to go into the woods with the expectation of not getting hit by a tree or rock, but it’s still a bet. Now, enter all the elements we typically face: fire weakened trees, wind, compromised root systems, bug kill, poor visibility, tough ground, etc. The odds get worse, but then we “mitigate” right? Send fallers in ahead of time, set a wind speed threshold, avoid really bad areas, etc. Being anywhere in there is still a gamble. We don’t even need to go into any detail about rocks. If there’s slope and chunks of solid mineral material, gravity does its finest work and we just cross our fingers and stay “super heads up”. Again, with trees and rocks, most of us accept the fact that we’re rolling the dice. We are instructed to believe that our own ability to “keep our head on a swivel” is solely responsible for our continued existence, which further escalates our commitment to the illusion of control. Entrapped By Our Beliefs We love to rail against the goal of “zero fatalities” and drone on and on about the “inherently dangerous” nature of our business. But right out of the other side of our mouth comes a long list of things that can “guarantee” us not being entrapped by fire. Ready to tip some sacred cows? I’m not saying all the advice dispensed in the long list of lists isn’t helpful. I’m just saying we need to acknowledge all the assumptions that are baked into them. Let’s go right to the king of the lists: The Ten Standard Fire Orders Assumption One: All of these actions are POSSIBLE (within our control). Have you ever KNOWN what your fire was doing at ALL times? Think of all the simple and complex ways you have been surprised by fire. The View from Here 6 Assumption Two: Humans are capable of flawless performance (it’s possible to get everything right all the time). When I’m not thinking clearly due to the carbon monoxide in my brain from the smoke I’ve been living in for a week without adequate rest and extreme physical exertion, having a list tell me to “think clearly” doesn’t remedy the situation. Then there is the king assumption above all else and the hardest one to let go of: Assumption