Persevering through staff cuts, Grand County forests turn to volunteer rangers

Persevering through staff cuts, Grand County forests turn to volunteer rangers

Lara Kurtak and Eric Russell were patrolling campsites at Crater Lake on their first volunteer mission, when the smell of smoke stopped them in their tracks. Upon following the scent deeper into the backcountry, they discovered what they called “a raging fire” built by a group of six campers, who said they were oblivious to the permanent campfire ban in place at Crater Lake. With water bottles in hand, Kurtak and Russell rushed to extinguish the…