Hellgate High School - Halberd Yearbook (Missoula, MT)

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The intensity of a fire burning in Yellowstone National Park, was cap- tured on film by part time park ranger and Dixon school teacher, William “Flex” Bennett. Feature 11 gressmen and Montana Represen- tative Pat Williams, blamed the fires and their damage on extra- ordinary,unpredictable weather. They also stated that fire seasons run in cycles and that this fire season was not only predictable, but preventable. There has also been some specula- tion as to the earth’s “greenhouse ef- fect” on Montana’s unusually hot and dry weather. Thus, it may have been a contibuting factor in the causes of the fires. But yet another concern was the fact that many of the fires were ar- son caused. This left officials worried that this could lead to a trend, and that in future years the problem of arsons would pose a larger and more threatening danger. Yellowstone was also visited by (then) presidential-nominee, Michael Dukakis. This trip not only helped Dukakis’s image of being an en- vironmentalist, but also helped to bring more attention to the west’s enormous problem with fire control. Many Montanans were pleased with the governments concern. But most thought that the gestures were too lit- tle, too late. But whether fighting the fires was too little, or too late, the summer of 1988 will go down in history as the summer Montana burned. ★ APPROXIMATE FIRE COSTS OF USFS (Northern Region)...............................$60 million ONE-DAY-MAXIMUMS Number of firefighters at peak.........15,700 on Sept. 10 Number of crews on fires..................479 on Sept. 4 Number of fire engines at one time........448 on Sept. 13 Number of helicopters......................96 on Sept. 16 Number of smokejumpers on fires.........203 on Aug. 30 SUPPLIES SHIPPED (from Missoula Fire Cache)..................19,212,420 lbs. AIRCRAFT HOURS LOGGED................................24,950 GALLONS OF RETARDANT USED.........................4,869,700 TOTAL FIRES ACRES BURNED Region One, USDA..............1,323 fires 685,807 acres Montana (all agencies)........2,720 fires 885,988 acres North Idaho, USDA...............346 fires 100,718 acres Yellowstone National Park.........1,932,452 acres burned ★ According to the Missoulian, October 1988

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Montana on Fire Photos by Flex” This was one of the many forest fires that burned in Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 1988. Forest fires destroy Montana wilderness By Tonya Pohlman The summer of 1988 was one of the worst fire seasons in Montana’s history. Hundreds of thousands of acres were burned and millions of dollars worth of damage occured. The Northwest’s fires made headlines all across the country as being the worst fire season in America’s recent history. With fires so severe that they clouded the skies of entire cities, and caused cities to evacuated in fear of oncoming fire, Montana rethought it’s “LET IT BURN’’ policy. In previous years, Yellowstone Na- tional Park and wilderness areas around Montana have enacted the 10 “LET IT BURN” policy. The basis for such a policy is the belief that fires are a natural part of nature. So, in their effort to keep the parks as natural as possible, the park ad- ministrations have supported letting fires burn themselves out, just as they would in nature. Proponents of “LET IT BURN” say that the policy is still a good idea, even though it has fallen under much criticism in the past year. They claim fires are needed to keep the forests balanced and thriving. Fires help to clear away dead and overcrowded trees. They benifit wildlife by creating meadows for them to feed upon. And fires help the forests to clear away with the old to make room for the new. The fires in Montana became so bad, that logging and hunting season were postponed until the state reciev- ed much needed rain. The reasoning being that it was not only dangerous for the workers and hunters, but it was also an unnecessary chance that more fires might occur. The next step came when Mon- tana’s governor, Ted Schwinden, closed the forests and all wilderness areas off to the public. The measure was a drastic but necessary one ac- cording to Governor Schwinden. It was the only was to cut down on the risk of more people-caused fires. The fires got so much attention, that a special group of congressmen traveled to Montana in an effort to find out the facts about the fires, and if they could have been prevented had the policy not been in effect. The forest service, in talking to the con-

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KODAK A day in process—Publication photographers tackle the numerous jobs they face in the year-long effort to produce photos for the Lance and the Halberd. Casey Kriley (above) pours over contact sheets while Phaleen Bailey (above left) agitates a print in developer. Lance photographer Dave Bourgeau (bottom right) struggles with the bulk film loader. Kate Mitchell, Lance Photo Editor, (bottom left) consults with Lance Editor Mike Thomas over some troublesome negatives. By Gary Sunderland Photo Editor Photographers are an important part of Hellgate’s two publications, the Lance and the Halberd. Most people think that all photographers do is take photos. Wrong, it takes a lot of hard work and time to even make one photo. The typical day of a photographer often starts off at lunch. Where, after studying the daily PHOTO- MANIACS can either once again go lock himself in the darkroom and work or wait until another night and stay after LATE and do more work and cover an event. Although being a photographer is often hard work there are many rewards, such as getting front row seats to all the games, FREE! There are many other priviledges to being a photoprapher but they are’t suitable for print. anouncements for any photo oppor- tunities, he goes and locks himself in the school darkroom where he spends his time making prints, con- tacts and developing negatives. When the publication class rolls around the photographer may have up to fifty million people asking, can you take these photos at mid- night tonight?” or something just as ridiculous. After school the photographer