Railways and Forest Fires

In the days of steam , railways were the path of human contact through tinder dry forests . The sparks of dragging wheels , hot cinders blown from the stack and hotboxes on fire caused many forest fires .

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1908 LongLake West fire
www.nysforestranger.com

Looking for Railfires
USDA Forest Service

If the intense heat of severe drought can cause this...

Severe Drought and intense heat waves hit Russia
taco.assoc-web.com

... then what will the current fire near Kirkland Lake , Ontario leave behind for this high rail crew.

Kirkland Lake Fire ,May 2012
photo from Willy Renaud

Now why would a maintenance-of-way crew be out on the tracks with a fire raging toward them by the look of the flames?

The most they could do would be to return when its all come and gone, to assess damage.

However , one suggestion was that perhaps they dropped a fire fighting crew in the area and are waiting to evacuate them when needed. That sounds sensible since everyone who can is helping out on this fire . And the railway is the only way in to some areas where roads are few.

What do you think?