Driving through a fire in Glacier National Park

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland) 08/21/2018 at 16:15 • Filed to: code brown

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This was a little over a week ago on a dirt road that takes off from Fish Creek Camp Ground, I’ve gathered fire wood up there before... These two campers are incredibly lucky to live to tell the tail. They may have been able to drive out if not for this fallen burning tree in their way. I should note that the fire started while they were out hiking and exploded in a matter of hours into an inferno.

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For Sweden > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 16:28

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People from the East Coast taking needless risks in the woods

N ame a more iconic d uo

Just Jeepin' > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 16:30

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Interesting to read that it’s probably the panicky son who saved their life by insisting they go back to the lake instead of trying to move the log.

It’s easy to judge the son poorly from that video; I know I did. But backseat quarterbacking is always easy.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Just Jeepin' 08/21/2018 at 16:34

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I have to wonder if they got the log off the road and were able to move forward would they have been able to drive out of the fire or would they have encountered another road block?

Ash78, voting early and often > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 16:34

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Glacier NP Suddenly Not So Glaciery

Going-to-the-Sun Road Becomes Too Realistic

Where the Hell is the A/C Recirc Button?

I can’t believe they made it out, but I guess that was their only choice. I can’t say I’d go full Leeeeroy Jenkins into that fire, but you never know until you face it.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > For Sweden 08/21/2018 at 16:34

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They were not taking needless risks. Mother nature whipped up a fire in a matter of hours. That is nothing they could have anticipated.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 16:34

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I’d watched this a couple time before, but I just now realized they were in a rental. Hard to tell the diameter of that log in their way, but I wonder it I would’ve tried to go over it in that situation. The dad is so calm through it all, which I’m not convinced is the best thing. The smarter choice (especially since they had a lake behind them) might have been to turn back as soon as it started getting really hairy. Incredible that they were able to reverse all the way back out and ended up okay...

Just Jeepin' > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 16:36

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And if they encountered a larger one they couldn’t move, and couldn’t return because the fire had dropped more trees behind them... or if the father had been injured trying to move the tree... so many ways that could have gone wrong, no matter what their decision.

jasmits > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 16:36

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Luck of the draw really, like this entire situation. Incredibly unlucky that the fire broke out in the first place, incredibly lucky that they made it out.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 16:38

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I still don’t get why they thought it was a good idea to keep going into the fire...as soon as I started seeing fire I would have back tracked to the lake and stayed there or at least started hiking around the lake. Looks like there’s trails around the entirety of the lake with a couple lodges/campgrounds where I’m sure they could have gotten help.

jasmits > For Sweden 08/21/2018 at 16:40

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I mean keep in mind that the fire wasn’t flagged as an issue when they went into the woods. Another article I saw mentioned that they had even asked a fire crew they came across if it was still safe to camp and the fire crew didn’t think the blaze would spread. Scary stuff as an outdoorsman, this could really happen to anyone(even if you stay completely clear of existing fires, this one had only been ignited the night before and was only a few acres when they went into the woods) .  

For Sweden > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 16:41

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Don’t you dare take away this opportunity to stunt on city slickers

Future next gen S2000 owner > For Sweden 08/21/2018 at 16:44

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Curly is disappointed.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > For Sweden 08/21/2018 at 16:45

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Gore-Clinton

Milky > Just Jeepin' 08/21/2018 at 16:46

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Really? I was judging the Dad.

“ We’re out/good.” Oh yea, dad? Been in a lot of forest fires, have ya?

10 seconds later:

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 08/21/2018 at 16:47

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I took a screen shot trying to figure out how big the log was, looks to be in the 16-20" range and crossing the entire road. No way a Subaru Legacy sedan is going over that. Best is they could push it out of the way with the bumper, but where does that get you? Further down the road and maybe a non-op car?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 08/21/2018 at 16:48

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I would not have even started into that fire. I would have built a raft or started circumnavigating the lake.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Milky 08/21/2018 at 16:50

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Dad don’t give a F. He wants a glorious exit.

Just Jeepin' > Milky 08/21/2018 at 16:51

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I think dad knew he had to be extra  calm to keep his son from flipping out.

Milky > Just Jeepin' 08/21/2018 at 17:02

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B ut w hen the opposite happens you’re discredited and makes the situation seem more helpless.  

*projec ts personal life with father onto other people.

Nom De Plume > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 17:04

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Highlander-Mazda now with rust was about to get a talking to if this would have been a personal video.

Glad sense prevailed and they survived.

RPM esq. > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 17:27

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As I said on the FP post, spare a thought for anyone farther into a backcountry trip in the area when the fire started —these guys were lucky to be only a short distance from the trailhead and the car, even if it’s ultimately somebody else in a boat that rescued them.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/21/2018 at 17:27

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It’s hard to see, but looking at it again right now, I can tell it’s definitely big enough that there’s no way they were going over. At first pass, I thought it was maybe just a few inches. Definitely makes you think - that tree blocking their path may have been what saved their lives.