I’m excited to share that you can listen to my short story “The Smokejumpers” on the Escape Pod podcast, where it is narrated by Laurice White.
From the Aspen Fire on Mt. Lemmon that burned for nearly a month when I was a kid to the fires in Oregon that burned over one million acres in 2020, wildfires have always heavily influenced my relationship to the natural world.
It’s one of the most difficult to ignore aspects of climate change, especially here in the American West. The scale and challenges we face preventing and fighting wildfires in our communities have at times made me feel hopeless. Or more accurately unwilling to hope, not allowing myself to hope as a way to protect myself. While the story is science fiction, fundamentally it is about choosing hope and love in the face of despair. While these things make us vulnerable, paradoxically they are also a source of strength.
This story feels more timely than ever given the record low snow pack on Hood and wildfire season waiting for us at the end of this summer. Stay safe friends.
P.S. I’m donating what I earned from this story to Crag Law Center and if you have the means, I’d encourage you to donate as well.
Listen Now:
Sierra Bibi 