As fires blaze across Colorado, countless brave individuals are aflame with selfless generosity, sacrificing their time and putting themselves at significant risk to keep others safe. Courageous firefighters across the state are in the field night and day to battle the still-burning wildfires in an effort to protect people, structures and communities. Among their ranks are three Annunciation Heights staff members who have worked to contain the Stone Mountain and Alexander Mountain Fires. “Fighting those fires was pretty intense,” said Luke Hlavin, the archdiocesan camp’s Director of Operations and a volunteer firefighter. He worked through the night with two other camp staff members to contain the Stone Canyon Fire. “Seeing homes burn, standing there defending structures and fighting the fires directly… We worked one night from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m. fighting the fire. It was a new experience, and one that was rewarding and grueling at the same time.” The intense effort has been underway for over a week as the three volunteer firefighters from Annunciation Heights and countless others across the state have battled the wildfires night and day. The Alexander Mountain Fire, located near Loveland, has spanned an estimated 9,668 acres and claimed 26 homes and 21 outbuildings. As of Monday, officials estimated it was 74% contained. The smaller Stone Canyon Fire near Annunciation Heights was reported to be 100% contained on Sunday evening after claiming 1,500 acres and five buildings. Stepping up to serve in such an intense way is no small thing. For Hlavin, proximity brought the possibility to the fore. Finding himself living mere feet from a fire station, he considered volunteering as a firefighter, ultimately deciding it was an incredible, albeit arduous, opportunity to give back. “Because I sleep closest to a fire truck of anyone in the entire district, I figured, ‘Why not volunteer and help the community?’” he said. “It’s a great way to get involved, meet people, help people at their most vulnerable moments and give back to a place I’ve come to love a lot.” For Alicia Paddock, who serves on staff at Annunciation Heights, the work fulfills a longstanding desire to serve. “I had this desire for a long time to become a volunteer firefighter,” she shared. Moving for college and time as a missionary prevented her from serving in this capacity. But, following her time as a missionary at Annunciation Heights, Paddock was finally able to give back. Working through the night protecting structures in the Alexander Mountain Fire, she took a few hours to rest and sleep before heading to Lyons to work on the Stone Canyon Fire. Even amid the chaos and danger of a night shift and a terrifying change in the wind that almost sent them scrambling, the firefighters' efforts were working. “I was amazed to see how much order could come out of chaos and how much we could accomplish even in pitch black with members of different departments in a fairly wide expanse and treacherous terrain,” Paddock shared. “It was a unique experience that I was not expecting to get so involved in so early in my service as a volunteer firefighter.” The camp’s adventure and land manager, Josh Marcantonio, quickly joined Hlavin and Paddock on the volunteer squad. Having fought fires for over 30 years, Marcantonio signed up to help in the Allenspark Volunteer Fire Department while working at Annunciation Heights. “I love the opportunity to serve my community and help protect those around me,” he shared. “The fact that I could fight this fire with Luke and Alicia was a cool experience. We all work for Annunciation Heights and are supported in being able to do this in addition to our already very full schedules and jobs. It’s just a great blessing. The community really appreciates it and needs it very much.” The service to the community is on par with Annunciation Heights’ efforts to set hearts ablaze with love for God and neighbor. The camp strives to “ experiences of authentic connection immersed in the beauty of God’s creation,” all to ensure “that those we serve may live life fully for the glory of the Father,” as they articulate in their mission statement. By uniting with the larger community, they help to preserve and defend God’s creation as a special, beautiful place of encounter with God and others. With their cooperative efforts, Hlavin, Paddock, Marcantonio and countless other firefighters across the state have nearly contained the wildfires. But they couldn’t have done it alone. Commenting on the community’s creative support, Paddock mentioned local restaurants’ generosity towards those fighting the fires, as they have provided sustenance for front-line responders. “It’s huge because it shows us that they want to support us. It’s a big community effort to say thank you. It’s their way of helping fight the fire. They might not be fighting the fire directly, but by feeding and serving us, they are fighting it,” she said. She encouraged those without restaurants to be just as engaged, offering support, prayers and encouragement to firefighters doing the intense work of community protection. “One way anyone can get involved is by serving the firefighters you know, those near you,” Paddock suggested. “You can find firefighters anywhere and show your support to them because we all do the same thing. You can even have your kids write thank you cards and give them to your local firefighters or first responders.” In short, anyone can get involved with the gifts God has given them, first and foremost through prayer but also through practical support. “Prayers are always needed for the whole gamut of a fire: protection of firefighters, homeowners, those that are affected and that firefighters get the resources and tools they need,” Marcantonio concluded. “If people have the skills, reach out to a fire department and see if your skills would be valuable to the department. My guess is that most people have something they could offer.”
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