Firefighter Stephanie Preheim had only just arrived at the storage facility she was assigned to protect from a massive wildfire near the tourist town of Chelan, Washington, when the winds shifted, pushing the blaze back her way.
Told to stand down, the suddenly sidelined Preheim did what any idled 19-year-old would do – she got out her cellphone, snapped a photo of the smoke-filled scene and posted it on Instagram.
“People always ask ‘How was it?’ and it’s impossible to describe what it’s like fighting a fire,” said Preheim, a volunteer with the Cashmere Fire Department. “If you have a quick second, why not snap a quick photo and be able to share it with people you love and let them know what you’re doing?”
Preheim, and other firefighters like her, are capturing some of the most stunning images of wildfires in the West this season. And that has fire officials grappling with how to approach the digital landscape – even contemplating banning cellphones – as they balance a young workforce’s desire to share with their safety in a hazardous environment.
Hotshot Ian Schlake, who was also battling the fire near Chelan, said in an email from the fire lines that firefighters are like everyone else looking to stay connected in an increasingly digital world.