Firestorm - Ellie Masters Page 0,13

it in my bones, but that’s not why I curse. Wind rolls over the ridge and pushes the angry flames down toward the valley.

It’s coming right for us.

Less than ten minutes later, I report for duty at the airstrip. Fear mixes with adrenaline until they blend into one and the same, making me feel alive. If this job was easy, everyone would do it, but it’s not. The men in my helitack crew are a tough breed, hardened by Mother Nature’s crucible to endure and survive. Half the team is present. The others are minutes away. Our pilot inspects the helicopter while I head to the briefing room.

We’re a part of a large organization. Unlike my best bud, Grady Malone, who’s a professional firefighter, most of us are seasonal employees and volunteers. Over the years, I’ve worked several jobs within the Forest Service. I served on a hand crew for three seasons before becoming a hotshot, crews who work the hottest part of wildfires, then I hired on as a smokejumper the following season.

An insane job, we parachuted into remote and inaccessible areas to fight wildfires. I’d still have that job, except it’s not compatible with work. Last season, I switched to a local helitack crew.

It fits me.

Fighting wildfires is a kickass job, but family responsibilities tie me to home. Until my brothers step up to help out, it’s just me.

My helitack crew uses helicopters to rapidly deploy into trouble spots. Often, we’re the first responders to a wildfire. Let’s face it, rappelling out of a hovering helicopter is pretty fucking badass. It almost makes Cage’s ascent of Mount Everest look like child’s play—almost.

Joe ‘Tarzan’ Grayson looks up as I walk in and gives a chin bump. “Hey, Ace.”

Freddy ‘Highball’ Jameson does the same. “You ready to give this bitch your all?”

“Damn straight.” I smile at the banter.

Like me, Tarzan and Highball are seasonal employees, temporary hires for the late summer fire season.

Pete ‘Smokey’ Larson is our lead. He does this full time and gives a long pull of his scruffy beard.

“Hey, Ace.” Smokey waves me over. “You called this one in?”

“I did.”

“We’re waiting on Dice and Cosmo, then we’ll load up.” Chance ‘Dice’ Houston is a new addition to our crew. Tyler ‘Cosmo’ Andrews started with me, and he hates his nickname. Smokey turns his gray gaze on me. “You got your gear?”

Of course I have my gear, but it’s his job to ask.

“I’m ready.”

Smokey peers at the map spread out on the card table. Four empty coffee mugs anchor the corners. He gives another rub of his scruff. “It’s right by your place.” His brows draw together. “Spilling down from the ridge…”

“Moving downslope last I looked.”

He turns his heavy gaze to me. “Damn winds aren’t doing us any favors. Not that I’m saying it, but I wish the winds pushed it the other way. With all the new construction…” He gives a shake of his head.

He doesn’t need to say anything else. We all look at each other. This new breed of environmentalists refuse to clear the brush around their homes, claiming minimal impact, but they don’t respect nature. Their refusal to clear the vegetation around their homes places not only their property in danger but their lives as well.

“Well, that’s not our problem. Local fire assets are managing that.” He points to the top of the ridge, at the leading edge of the fire. “We’re assigned here. Firebreaks in case the wind shifts.”

I give a nod. It’s a solid plan. We have the training and resources to reach the ridge. Our pilot will set us down and we’ll get to work making sure if the wind does shift, that fire won’t have anything to burn, stopping her right in her tracks.

My buddy, Grady, and the rest of his team from Fire Station 13 will be on the lower fire roads doing pretty much the same thing, expanding the fire breaks put in by the forest service for precisely this reason.

We’re different legs of a multi-legged stool, providing safe and effective wildfire response.

The last of our crew rush in. Chance and Tyler are out of breath, but kitted out in their gear. We all are.

Smokey greets Chance and Tyler as the rest of us hover over the map. We’re imprinting the terrain into our brains because we’re going to be in the thick of things just as soon as we can load into the helicopter and fly into position.

The epicenter of the fire is marked in a big