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Where there's smoke...

Mensen makes career out of hobby

By Lori Ehde

Cory Mensen, son of Mike and Karen Mensen, Luverne, graduated from Luverne High School in 1990.

He majored in sociology and minored in environmental studies St. John's University, Collegeville, earning his bachelor's degree in 1995.

He began working for land management agencies in Colorado in 1995 and began working with the U.S. Forest Service in 1998.

He's currently employed with the Kawishiwi Ranger District in Superior National Forest in Minnesota, but since he works for a national agency, he gets called to wherever he's needed.

In addition to fighting occasional forest fires, Mensen has also worked on a snowmobile in the Rockies looking for stranded skiers.

His full-time job centers on patrolling the boundary waters of Minnesota's Superior National Forest in what he describes as a law enforcement position.

He goes on canoe excursions - eight days camping, six days off, every two weeks - patrolling the campgrounds, making sure visitors are treating nature with respect.

He also spends time "prescribing" hiking trails, surveying them for future maintenance projects.

Essentially, his job amounts to a lifelong camping trip in some of the most beautiful nature areas the country has to offer.

While the work isn't easy, Mensen agrees he's living quite a life. "I wanted to find something I enjoy and figure out a way to get paid for it," he said.

Fires take their toll but may
serve natural purpose

By Lori Ehde

Since Cory Mensen returned home last weekend, nearly an inch of rain fell in Flathead National Forest, giving firefighters an edge and reducing further flare-ups.

Prior to the weekend sprinkle, the fires have been burning since mid-July in an area that hasn't had any rain to speak of all summer long.

As of Aug. 30,

More than 713,000 acres have burned

More than 300 buildings have been destroyed, including 75 homes.

Costs of fighting fires in the Northern Rockies have reached more than $118 million.

So far, fighting the blaze has required 2.75 million feet of fire hose.

More than 32,350 fire retardant jeans have been issued (at more than $50 each).

The effort has enlisted the use of 143 aircraft. These include 111 helicopters, 12 air tankers (to drop liquid fire retardant) and five C-130s.

Firefighters have used 665 fire engines from all over the country (including one from Minnesota's Superior National Forest).

Fire prevention efforts have included 229 bulldozers.

The human effort has included 11,003 firefighting personnel including those from 27 other states and three other countries (New Zealand, Australia and Canada).

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