The following blurb is from my Firebreak Art facebook page and a much more hectic time this summer. It is difficult to imagine those smokey, dusty, scorching days from June and July when, today in November, the wind chill is down to -20 and snow is piled high against the door. Enjoy this little tid-bit about my studio namesake.
“Some of you may know that the Firebreak Art name is in reference to the Murphy Dome fire break that was put in place years ago to protect what is now my neighborhood from wildfire. I found that overgrown fire break so beautiful when I would pick berries in the late summer that I named my art "studio" after it.
Now, the fire break is being bulldozed, lined with water tanks and hose and lengthened to help fight the encroaching Shovel Creek wildfire. The fire fighters are planning an offensive burn to keep the wildfire at bay. We and our neighbors are in Level 2 "set for evacuation" hoping that it doesn't come to that.
This is not a reason to be sad. I have known firefighters and other fire service employees since moving to Fairbanks. I spent a summer working in the AFS warehouse packing kits to be sent out on fires and refurbishing the material that came back. I have watched several fires burning in areas around town and always knew this was a part of life in AK.
We are prepared for what may come. The firefighters are doing what They have always done and work tirelessly to protect even the most modest of homes. My fire break will be rich with berries again and with a view overlooking a beautiful fire scar garden with fireweed and blackened spruce monuments.
Firebreak Art thanks the wildland firefighters and all the folks behind the scenes working to protect us all year after year.”
