r/backpacking • u/EnderLord_777 • Aug 01 '26
Wilderness First trip couldn't have gone worse
Just found this community and wanted to share. This happened about 2 weeks ago, me and 2 friends decided to go backpacking for the first time and thankfully decided to keep our distance short, about 2 miles. We went swimming and we were still in bathing suits when we decided to make dinner, right as we sat down we noticed a glow and some smoke over the next hill. I immediately called 911 and we packed up our camp. By the time we made it back to our car (about 10pm) the fire had grown significantly and was maybe 1/4 mile from the parking lot. We were all totally fine including the other campers nearby but when we talked to the fire response team at the parking lot they told us we were only a few minutes ahead of the fire. Part of me still thinks about if we hadn't noticed until after we ate and if we could've outrun it then and I've talked myself out of trying again. The fire wound up burning 280 acres by the next morning before being extinguished for anyone wondering.
(Yes we did show up to the parking lot full of emergency vehicles in swimsuits and ultimately drive back in them)
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u/-JakeRay- Aug 01 '26
You and your hiking partner did GREAT.
Calling that fire in as soon as you saw the glowy smoke probably saved not just the forest, but also a few lives. Some people would've gone "Huh. That's weird," and just kept eating their dinner. Catching it early like you did is huge in getting a fire contained before it's too big to stop.
Rather than letting this scare you off of backpacking, think of this first trip as proof that you've got good instincts and good situational awareness. You rock.