FIRE!
Shortly after posting the last entry, we got word that there was a wild fire just outside the sanctuary grounds. This being rural Africa, WE were the firefighters, along with neighboring landowners and, eventually (2 hours into the fire), the local fire truck arrived--a very small pick-up truck with a very small water tank.
For three and a half hours, we ran buckets of water out to the frontline of the fire and even, at times, had to stamp out parts the fire with branches of trees. It was awful...exhausting and very scary. The fire was easily twenty feet high and the sound of its march through the shrubbery was loud and frightening. At the worst of it, we could see tall flames on three sides surrounding us--from 50 feet away to about 1/4 mile--and I was genuinely worried about getting trapped.
At one point, the founder, Arthur, and a few other volunteers got surrounded by the fire. The two volunteers were able to escape but Arthur was nowhere to be found. We thought for sure he must have died. But twenty minutes later, he staggered out of the fire mumbling about smoke inhalation, and it became clear that he had had a stroke while in the midst of the fire. Half of his face was paralyzed and he was having a hard time walking. With the fire still raging, he was rushed to the hospital. At this point, I don't know his status (as I am at the lodge and not the sanctuary today, my day off).
It looked very dire after about two hours, with the fire within 30 feet or so of the main building and encroaching into the monkey enclosures. We were forced to release the monkeys from the endangered enclosures, fearing that they would be trapped. Then, not only did we have to deal with the fire, but we also had to dodge freaked-out adult monkeys, some of them quite dangerous. One staff member was bit twice. At that point, some of the volunteers ran buckets out to the frontline while others beat off freaked-out monkeys with sticks. I was a bucket runner. It was a sureal experience to say the least.
Eventually we got the fire under control. Thankfully there was no major damage to the grounds. Several long term volunteers lost everything in the fire, and I believe only two monkeys died.
I was thoroughly exhausted when it was done, and had a terrible headache. I got back to the lodge at 6pm, showered and went straight to bed. What a day!
For three and a half hours, we ran buckets of water out to the frontline of the fire and even, at times, had to stamp out parts the fire with branches of trees. It was awful...exhausting and very scary. The fire was easily twenty feet high and the sound of its march through the shrubbery was loud and frightening. At the worst of it, we could see tall flames on three sides surrounding us--from 50 feet away to about 1/4 mile--and I was genuinely worried about getting trapped.
At one point, the founder, Arthur, and a few other volunteers got surrounded by the fire. The two volunteers were able to escape but Arthur was nowhere to be found. We thought for sure he must have died. But twenty minutes later, he staggered out of the fire mumbling about smoke inhalation, and it became clear that he had had a stroke while in the midst of the fire. Half of his face was paralyzed and he was having a hard time walking. With the fire still raging, he was rushed to the hospital. At this point, I don't know his status (as I am at the lodge and not the sanctuary today, my day off).
It looked very dire after about two hours, with the fire within 30 feet or so of the main building and encroaching into the monkey enclosures. We were forced to release the monkeys from the endangered enclosures, fearing that they would be trapped. Then, not only did we have to deal with the fire, but we also had to dodge freaked-out adult monkeys, some of them quite dangerous. One staff member was bit twice. At that point, some of the volunteers ran buckets out to the frontline while others beat off freaked-out monkeys with sticks. I was a bucket runner. It was a sureal experience to say the least.
Eventually we got the fire under control. Thankfully there was no major damage to the grounds. Several long term volunteers lost everything in the fire, and I believe only two monkeys died.
I was thoroughly exhausted when it was done, and had a terrible headache. I got back to the lodge at 6pm, showered and went straight to bed. What a day!