Wildfires are becoming a bigger deal for people who live near forests and mountains. Max Allan, a senior at FCHS, lives in the mountains and has experienced living near wildfires and dealing with the effects. 

In Colorado, wildfires are starting in both the east and the west, and drought over the summer has done nothing to help. 

“This fire to me feels the biggest and the scariest, even though it is kind of a worry every year, it’s not really physicalized every year, like this year or like the High Park fire was,” Allan said.

Out of the fires his family has personally experienced, the High Park fire had the most impact on Allan because they had to evacuate due to how close the fire was. 

“We didn’t know what to do, but my dad had the last minute idea to get a hose and hose down the whole house before we left,” Allan said. 

Their garage burned down, but thanks to the sprinkler, their house didn’t. People who live near wildfires have to come up with a lot of solutions like these in order to stay safe.

“The biggest thing is just that it was really terrifying for my parents,” Allan said. Their possessions were less important to them because the cabin itself is their dream home.

Allan and his family are always sure to never have open fires or use fireworks because even if there isn’t a ban or warning, there’s always a possibility of endangering them and their neighbors.

“It’s a lot of the time campers who don’t properly put out their fires,” Allan said. This is sometimes frustrating for people who live in the mountains because they know the danger, but a lot of time campers are more careless.

Allan is constantly dealing with the danger of fires, but he tries not to let it affect his everyday life.

“There’s not much you really can do because every year there’s usually a drought and we’re always worried about it, but again, it’s like you can’t stop living your life,” Allan said. The smoke is always a problem when wildfires are close, but he and his family have become accustomed to the haze. 

“To move away because you’re scared of the fire would be the same thing as letting it get burned down, you know?” Allan said. So for them, it’s ultimately worth dealing with the danger because his family gets to live in such a beautiful place