Brian Alton's week at the Wawa 13 forest fire

They set up tiny cities in the middle of nowhere, hauling latrines, trucks, trailers, tents, helicopters and hundreds of people into small clearings in the bush. They work 15-hour days on 19-day rotations.

They set up tiny cities in the middle of nowhere, hauling latrines, trucks, trailers, tents, helicopters and hundreds of people into small clearings in the bush.

They work 15-hour days on 19-day rotations.

The work is so hot that one worker insists he can drink more than twelve bottles of water a day, not once feeling the need to relieve himself.

Today's Toronto Star contains a magazine-length special feature about the extraordinary people who protect Northern Ontario from runaway forest fires like Wawa 13, the blaze that last month threatened the residents of Caramat and destroyed millions of dollars worth of forest resources.

Reporter Gavin Taylor travelled to Manitouwadge and talked to people include Saultites Brian Alton and Brian Stocks.

To read the Star article, please click here.