I didn’t know AK was having fires, too! 427 of them? Yikes!
https://smoke.alaska.edu/current_fires.html
When I moved out here, the first year I used a push mower, though it was a Honda with a power assist and was quite dependable. It took me the entire WEEK to mow this place, then I’d start all over again.
One year in, I bought myself a 42” Zero-Turn. It now takes me 2 hours if I’m staying on-task and don’t have a lot of junk to clear out of my way. I had an old Sears Craftsman rider at my other farm, but left it behind for the new owners, which was much appreciated. It took me a while to get used to the Zero-Turn, but so far I haven’t fallen off of any of the retaining walls - which is HUGE, LOL!
We had a fire pop up 2.4 miles from us yesterday evening. There was no ground access so there was a continous parade of Super Scoopers, Firebosses and choppers running back and forth from the fire to Harding Lake. It looks like they kept it to just over an acre. Whew!
I see that there were over 80 structures lost at Grand Canyon, including the historic lodge on the North Rim.
Too much trouble all over.