Photo credit: Christi Bode Skeie.
By Alex Handloff
When the Plumtaw Fire started on May 17, 2022, fire officials feared the worst. Yet the worst did not happen. In the aftermath, San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership (SJHFHP) teamed up with Christi Bode Skeie, environmental filmmaker and owner of Moxiecran Media, to document what led to this fortuitous outcome and how the Pagosa community can better prepare for future events. The result is Bode Skeie’s new film, The Plumtaw: A Future with Fire.
“We tend to only hear about catastrophic wildfires these days, leaving us with a feeling of hopelessness,” says Bode Skeie. “The Plumtaw Fire is an example of when things go right, and I think it’s important to share lessons learned from these events, too.”
The film will premiere in Pagosa Springs on May 17, 2023, marking the fire’s one year anniversary and falling squarely in National Wildfire Awareness Month. Following the screening, a panel of local experts and residents will discuss the role of fire on the landscape and in our lives. The panel will be followed by a Q&A.
The event is organized by the SJHFHP and will be held from 6-7:30pm on May 17 at the Pagosa Center for the Arts, located at 2313 Eagle Drive in Pagosa Springs, CO. There is a $5 suggested cash donation to help support SJHFHP.
“Coming together as a community to talk about being prepared for fire events is the best way we can build upon the work already being done to plan ahead,” says Dana Guinn, coordinator of the SJHFHP. “We live in a landscape adapted to fire, and all share the responsibility of caring for the landscape and for one another. Everyone has something to bring to the table.”
Bode Skeie spent the past year interviewing land and water managers as well as local landowners, understanding what it means to live with fire. There are many things outside of our control – especially with a changing climate – but the film explores the aspects that we can control, namely preparedness. Bode Skeie was inspired by the collaborative spirit of SJHFHP and the connection between fire and water and found stories with a positive takeaway are rarely shared.
“We’re fortunate to live in a community that is proactive about wildfire, but it will truly take all hands on deck – share what you learn with a neighbor, strike up a conversation on the trail, spread the word,” says Bode Skeie. “Education is a huge component of this, even in years when snowpack is abundant.”
What may seem like luck from the outside is more nuanced when given the details. Yes, luck played a role in the outcome of the Plumtaw Fire incident, but is only part of a larger story. Through a collaborative discussions years before the fire occurred, the SJHFHP identified the area as a priority for wildfire mitigation treatments due to its critical importance to drinking water access for Pagosa Springs. In 2021, the San Juan National Forest Pagosa Ranger District conducted a fuels reduction treatment on Fourmile Road which in 2022 created additional decision-making space during the fire.
“Fire is not inherently bad. Fire can produce bad outcomes,” says Josh Peck, District Ranger at the San Juan National Forest Pagosa Ranger District. “That is why it is important that we are collectively engaged in building a landscape that is resilient and accepting of fire in its natural role.”
The story of the Plumtaw is not over. As forest managers look to the landscape surrounding Pagosa Springs and beyond, more work is on the horizon. The lessons from the Plumtaw will assuredly help us move towards a future where we live with fire, accepting both its benefits and the challenges that living in a fire adapted landscape presents.
Pagosa Springs community members and landowners have important takeaways as well, namely understanding wildfire and our relationship with the forest. Bode Skeie’s film provides a window into that relationship, showing that it can be positive and reveal important lessons, perspectives and paths forward. Just as the Plumtaw Fire provided an opportunity for the forest to regenerate, it provides an opportunity for people to play a larger role in preparedness by sharing their voices, concerns and perspectives.
“Plumtaw Fire outcomes exemplify the power of collaborative input and partnerships between the public and land managers,” says Guinn. “The SJHFHP looks forward to sharing this story and continuing to work hard for our community, forest, and watersheds. We hope you’ll join us!”
Alex Handloff is Collaborative Communications Coordinator with Mountain Studies Institute.
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