Against The Odds: The Big Burn | Evacuations | Ep 3 (October 14, 2025)

Overview

In this gripping third installment of "The Big Burn," hosts Mike Corey and Cassie De Pecol plunge listeners into the chaos and peril of the 1910 wildfire in the Idaho Panhandle. With fires consuming both forest and town, the episode follows a tapestry of survival stories—firefighters trapped in tunnels, a mother desperate to save her child, civic leaders scrambling to evacuate towns, and the Buffalo Soldiers organizing chaotic departures. The theme is resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, highlighting human ingenuity, courage under fire, and the moral dilemmas faced in survival scenarios.

Key Discussion Points & Storylines

1. Pulaski's Fight for Survival in the Ravine and Tunnel

• The Death of Richard Wood

  • Ed Pulaski, forest range researcher and firefighting leader, desperately guides 45 men toward the safety of an abandoned mining tunnel as flames close in (00:00–03:24). He discovers, in the midst of chaos, that Richard Wood has been killed by a fallen tree; knowing time is short, he makes the agonizing decision to leave Wood and focus on saving the rest (00:00–03:24).

• Tunnel Ordeal

  • Inside the tunnel, Pulaski battles unbearable heat and smoke. He innovatively uses wet blankets and his own shirt to cover the entrance but is constantly forced to fight the blaze as fire eats away at their barrier (19:00–23:30).
  • The men verge on panic: "I will personally shoot any man who passes me out of mercy... You go out there, you will die a horrible death." – Ed Pulaski, facing down a mutiny (21:30).
  • Pulaski’s perseverance, even as he collapses unconscious from exhaustion and smoke, averts mass panic and likely saves most of the crew (23:30).

2. Chaos and Panic in Wallace: Emma Pulaski and the Town’s Evacuation

• Emma’s Perspective

  • Emma Pulaski's desperate attempts to reach the evacuation train with her daughter Elsie bring alive the chaos, fear, and mob behavior at the train station as townsfolk, clutching prized belongings, try to flee (04:30–09:00).
  • An explosion at the newspaper building deepens the chaos; Emma decides, in a moment of maternal intuition, not to risk the train but to flee instead to the mining dump—bare rock she hopes will not burn (10:00).

• A Night of Uncertainty and Fear

  • Emma and Elsie, huddled on cold rock, watch the town burn and Emma is haunted by the uncertainty about her husband’s fate (24:45–27:20).
  • Memorable moment: "Is Daddy ever coming home again?" asks Elsie (26:30). Emma replies, voice trembling: "Daddy's doing everything he can to protect us, okay? Let's pray for him, shall we?"

3. Immigrant Firefighters and Survival in a Root Cellar

• Domenico and Giacomo’s Root Cellar Ordeal
  • Domenico, Giacomo, and fellow immigrant firemen endure the unimaginable in a packed root cellar, suffocating, sweating, and literally fighting to avoid panic as one is pinned and killed outside by a fallen tree (12:00–17:00).
  • The scene is described with visceral claustrophobia and panic culminating in a near-riot: "Dom finally snaps. He starts screaming at the top of his lungs, cursing them all in Italian..." (15:30).

4. The Aftermath in Wallace and Ranger Bill Weigel’s Guilt

• Emergence from the Fire

  • Chief ranger Bill Weigel, burned and exhausted, finds much of Wallace destroyed in an "apocalyptic" tableau (28:45–30:15).
  • Weigel’s reflection is raw with guilt: "That detour... was reckless and stupid. Why did he abandon his duty?... How many people died because he didn’t make it back?" (29:45).

• Survivors and the Rumor of Pulaski’s Death

  • The rumor of Pulaski and his crew’s demise devastates Emma and the community. Emma’s reunion with her still-standing home is bittersweet when she’s confronted by worried neighbors and shocked with the insinuation her husband didn't make it (31:00–32:00):
    • "It looks like the man who returned... he might be the only one who made it." – Emma’s friend Mary

5. Evacuation of Avery: The Buffalo Soldiers’ Story

• Organizing the Escape

  • Sergeant John James and Private Roy Green of the Buffalo Soldiers manage the evacuation at Avery as refugees swarm the train platform at dawn, highlighting the soldiers' discipline and the era’s racism.
  • Green faces both bribes and racial abuse as he ensures the train is reserved for women and children only (33:25–36:15):
    • "Sir, you’ll have to leave. This train is for women and children only." – Roy Green stands firm despite a bribe (34:40).
    • "I ain’t getting kicked off this train by someone like you." – unnamed miner, after Green refuses bribe (35:00).

• Perilous Train Journey

  • The train, packed with evacuees and the Buffalo Soldiers, comes to a dangerous halt before a burning bridge. James must decide—risk crossing or face possible death by fire:
    • "I say we make a run for it. And we do it fast because every second we sit here, the bridge only gets weaker." – Sgt. John James (44:00–45:00).
    • There’s tension as the episode ends with the train preparing to dash across the fiery chasm.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ed Pulaski:
  • "I will personally shoot any man who passes me out of mercy. I felt the heat outside that tunnel entrance. You go out there, you will die a horrible death." (21:30)
• Emma Pulaski and Elsie:
  • "Is Daddy ever coming home again?" – Elsie (26:30)
  • "Daddy's doing everything he can to protect us, okay? Let's pray for him, shall we?" – Emma (26:40)
• Roy Green’s Integrity under Pressure:
  • "Sir, you'll have to leave. This train is for women and children only." (34:40)
• Sgt. John James’ Leadership at Crisis:
  • "I say we make a run for it. And we do it fast because every second we sit here, the bridge only gets weaker." (44:00)
• Bill Weigel’s Remorse:
  • "That detour... was reckless and stupid. Why did he abandon his duty?... How many people died because he didn’t make it back?" (29:45)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00–03:24: Pulaski searches for missing crewman.
• 04:30–09:00: Emma and Elsie try to evacuate Wallace; mass panic at the train.
• 12:00–17:00: Root cellar panic among immigrant firefighters.
• 19:00–23:30: Pulaski's struggle to keep the tunnel entrance covered.
• 24:45–27:20: Emma and Elsie survive the night, unsure of Ed’s fate.
• 28:45–30:15: Weigel surveys burned Wallace, is overcome with guilt.
• 31:00–32:00: Community fears Pulaski is dead.
• 33:25–36:15: Buffalo Soldiers organize Avery evacuation; discuss racism and bribes.
• 44:00–46:30: Train is stopped at burning bridge; James makes critical decision to cross.

Tone and Atmosphere

Throughout, the episode maintains a tense, dramatic, and immersive atmosphere, using descriptive language and moments of dialogue to put listeners directly into the midst of a historic disaster. The tone balances detailed reporting with emotionally charged storytelling, marked by flashes of hope, despair, tension, and profound moral conflict.

Further Reading (as referenced by the hosts)

• The Big Burn by Timothy Egan
• Year of the Fires by Stephen Pyne
• When the Mountains Roared by the U.S. Forest Service

Recap

Episode three of "The Big Burn" brings to life the chaos of evacuation, the fight for survival in the face of relentless fire, and the resilience of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Every character—whether firefighter, civilian, ranger, or soldier—is tested to their limit, and the episode ends on a cliffhanger, with the fate of the evacuation train, and those on board, hanging in the balance.