How to escape a wildfire: a hiker’s guide

With wildfires once again forcing mass evacuations across parts of the US, we’ve updated our guide on how to escape a wildfire When Peter headed to Greenland last summer to trek the Arctic Circle Trail, I knew he’d be unreachable for 7-10 days. He’s a highly experienced hiker, but there was a tiny part of me that couldn’t help but worry. What if he twisted an ankle or fell into a ravine? What if he was attacked? What if he lost his backpack from a capsized kayak? There were several scenarios that ran through my head – but a wildfire was not one of them. He was heading to the Arctic for goodness sake; to Greenland of which 80% is covered in ice! Fire was hardly a danger. A satellite image of a wildfire on the Arctic Circle Trail Only, it was. Peter got caught in a wildfire and was evacuated by helicopter. Recent headlines are a reminder that wildfires can catch travellers and hikers off guard. This summer, fires near Spokane forced tens of thousands to evacuate, while in California’s Big Sur residents and visitors were ordered out as flames closed parts of the Pacific Coast Highway. In Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, lightning-sparked fires also led to large-scale evacuations of remote...