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fire

Signs of Summer

June 8, 2025 by J.B. 4 Comments

Summer has come early this year so we’ve been busy making sure everyone stays safe and comfortable. That means moving the cows to pastures with plenty of wooded areas for shade and ensuring our wildfire sprinkler system is ready for fire season. The chimps have gone into summer mode as well, taking full advantage of the outdoor habitats in the early mornings and finding shade or a quiet spot indoors to ride out the afternoon heat.

Filed Under: Cattle, Latest Videos, Weather Tagged With: chimpanzee, cows, fire, heat, northwest, pasture, rescue, Sanctuary, sprinklers, summer, wildfire

Jamie Chimpanzee the Firefighter

August 26, 2017 by Diana

You probably know that Jamie is a pretty awesome chimpanzee. What you may not know is how, last year, she alerted the humans to a fire that was approaching the sanctuary property. You can read about that here.

It’s fire season again here in the Northwest, and the Jolly Mountain Fire is currently burning in some forested back-country about twelve miles from the sanctuary (the sanctuary is not in danger).

That means that there are many firefighters and disaster responders in the area working hard. For the last ten days, Southwest Incident Management Team #3 was in charge of the all the many things that are part of responding to wildland fires, from community outreach to physical fire containment measures.

Alan Sinclair was leading that team and heard the story of Jamie alerting us to the fire last year. He contacted us and brought out a group of firefighters and Forest Service workers to learn more about the story and to assess the firewise measures and fire preparedness at the sanctuary.

Then, they decided to do something amazing.

They made Jamie an honorary wildland firefighter! They created and gave her a certificate:

 

certificate for Jamie

 

a photo collage:

photo collage

 

AND an official pair of wildland firefighter boots (thanks for the boots, Sharma!)!!!

 

Michael Thompson (who, incidentally, won over Negra big time) put together this video to tell the story:

 

 

We are all so touched that the crew chose to recognize Jamie in this way. I was thinking about how fitting this really is for Jamie to have this honor. I don’t think I have to explain how much firefighters mean to us after our experience with the Taylor Bridge Fire. That first hand experience has made us much more aware of the work that they do all over the world.

Firefighters and first responders of all kinds risk their lives to protect others. They are the ones who go towards danger rather than running away from it.

For whatever reason, this is what Jamie does too (just check out this video of her capturing a snake last week). Jamie is not the most affectionate or nurturing chimpanzee of the group of seven at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, but she is a protector, and her chimpanzee and human family are lucky to have someone so brave among us.

 

Thank you, Jamie, and a big thank you to all firefighters out there! Please share this post and/or the video as a thank you to those who go towards danger to protect others around them.

 

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Filed Under: Boots, Jamie, Sanctuary Tagged With: 2nd anniversary fundraising, chimp, chimpanzee, csnw, fire, honorary firefighter, Sanctuary, southwest area incident management team 3, wildland

Highway 10 Fire

July 2, 2016 by Diana

Today started out pretty normal. Us humans were busy cleaning all morning, with breaks to walk around the hill with Jamie and check in with the other chimps. We had finished cleaning the playroom and had started cleaning the front rooms. I was over by the playroom door and Jamie was craning her neck and body to see out. We know Jamie pretty well, and we knew something was up, so Anna went outside to see what Jamie might be looking at, and saw a plume of smoke a few hundred yards away.

 

The chimps have seen smoke from intentional fires on our property (when there’s not a burn ban!) and our neighbor’s property before, and I don’t think they’ve reacted to it, but maybe they knew this was different, having gone through the Taylor Bridge Fire in 2012.

Their alarm was warranted. The fire was close and was moving through the ground cover, burning some of the trees that had been downed in the fire four years ago.

hillside smoke

 

Just like the Taylor Bridge Fire, it traveled up the hill, towards some of the properties that had been rebuilt.

web_Fire_2016_hillside_smoke_IMG_3516

 

They came through okay, though, thanks to the firefighters.

fire helicopter

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Thank goodness for firefighters, and thank goodness for volunteers and data collectors! Volunteer Ally and primatology student Jake jumped into action to help. We were asked to evacuate the house that J.B. and I share with our two dogs and two cats. Ally and Jake were lifesavers – helping get harnesses on the dogs and put the reluctant cats in crates, then, with caregiver Anna’s help, driving them to safety at Jake’s house.

In the meantime, J.B. got the emergency sprinkler system, which pumps water from the pond above the house:

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web_sprinkler_chimp_house_fire_2016_IMG_4033

 

We had brought the chimps inside the building and shut all of the windows and doors, so the window in front room four was the spot to watch from. Most of the chimps were very calm. Jody and Foxie were a bit anxious, with Jody sticking close by Burrito most of the afternoon.

web_Burrito_Jody_fire_2016_fr_4_portrait_studio_IMG_4026

 

In the below two photos, Burrito and Jody were lying next to each other:

web_Burrito_lay_bench_fr4_fire_2016_IMG_4030

web_Jody_lay_bench_fr4_portrait_studio_fire_2016_IMG_4029

 

Foxie kept a Dora doll close:

web_Foxie_look_window_hold_dora_fire_2016_IMG_4052

web_Foxie_sit_look_fr4_window_fire_2016_IMG_4062

web_Foxie_hug_dora_doll_fr4_fire_2016_IMG_4060

 

We gave them some extra treats today and otherwise followed the routine as much as possible. They are in bed now – Jamie with her boots, Foxie with her dolls, and Negra under a blanket.

Our dogs and cats are back home (thank you Anna, Katelyn, Ally & Jake!).

The fire seems to have sparked again well above the property as I was writing this. The helicopters were on it immediately. There are also still some smoldering spots nearby, but we feel that we and our neighbors are safe with the skilled firefighters working so hard.

web_Fire_above_property_twister_fire_2016_IMG_4098

 

web_smoke_smoldering_fire_2016_IMG_9233

We lost power (the electric company probably shut it off due to the fire), but the chimp house’s generator kicked on immediately, not even skipping a beat.

J.B. and I are making our own dinner in the chimp house kitchen, but trying to keep things quiet so we don’t wake any of the chimpanzees as the slumber safe in their nests.

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Filed Under: Sanctuary, Volunteers Tagged With: chimp, chimpanzee, Cle Elum, csnw, fire, highway 10 fire, hwy 10, Sanctuary, shelter

The Wildfire Sprinkler System

May 30, 2014 by J.B.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s already fire season here in Central Washington. The Taylor Bridge Fire, which threatened the sanctuary two years ago, was a vivid reminder that no matter how prepared you think you are for an emergency, there’s always more you can do. That’s why we’re so excited to be testing out our new emergency wildfire sprinkler system.

The system was made possible by a grant from the ASPCA and the donation of a pump by the good folks at PumpBiz. Because power is unreliable during wildfires, the pump runs on propane and draws water from a spring fed pond on the sanctuary property. Dozens of sprinklers, mounted to the posts of our security fence, drench everything within 40 feet of the chimp house.

The Taylor Bridge Fire was a very emotional experience for everyone involved, and I can’t tell you how good it feels to see this sprinkler system in action. Our thanks go out to the ASPCA and PumpBiz, as well as Keith and Nick, who did all the hard work.

Meanwhile, while we’re running around preparing for emergencies, the chimps are relaxing and enjoying the sunshine on Young’s Hill.

Foxie with a piece of grapefruit:

web_Foxie_grapefruit_cabin_YH_forage_jb_IMG_9737

Jody with many pieces of grapefruit:

web_Jody_mouthful_grapefruit_bamboo_forage_YH_jb_IMG_9755

Foxie, Missy, and Annie:

web_Foxie_Missy_Annie_YH_forage_IMG_9780

Jamie scouting for food in the grass:

web_Jamie_green_grass_YH_jb_IMG_9795

Jamie admiring the bamboo, Foxie admiring Dora:

web_Jamie_Foxie_Dora_Bamboo_YH_jb_IMG_9830

Jamie trying to  find a way in to the termite mound:

web_Jamie_inspect_back_of_termite_mound_YH_IMG_9834

Burrito, toy in hand:

web_Burrito_red_toy_YH_IMG_9867

Missy foraging for wild plants on Young’s Hill:

web_Missy_forage_YH_IMG_9889

Filed Under: Burrito, Construction, Dolls, Food, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy, Sanctuary, Thanks, Volunteers, Young's Hill Tagged With: aspca, chimpanzee, fire, northwest, pumpbiz, rescue, Sanctuary, sprinkler, wildfire

Fire and Art

August 13, 2013 by Diana

One year ago today, the sanctuary property was engulfed in flames and smoke. We thought at one point that the caregiver house that J.B. and I live in was gone (it turned out the roof and siding had caught fire, but the interior was saved). J.B. stayed with the chimps as the flames spread, and the rest of the staff watched helplessly from the road or waited anxiously for updates.

fire on hil above chimp house from highway

black earth under tire structure young's hill

It’s not a day any of us would like to repeat, but we knew the chimpanzees were safe thanks to our own protocols and the actions of the local volunteer firefighters. We can never thank Kittitas County Fire Districts (KCFD) #1 and #7  enough for what they did for us and what they do for neighbors and strangers everyday. Read the account from the Seattle Met, or, in our own words, through our blog posts.

We’ve made even more improvements to our protocols and our equipment based on our experience last year. We are still working on our future emergency preparedness while also raising money for our general operating costs, and we have a great and fun way for you to help us get a nice grant!

The Humane Society of the United States is sponsoring a chimpanzee art contest, and our resident boot-loving artist boss of the sanctuary, Jamie, has a piece entered! Voting for Jamie’s mixed-media piece will not only give her the accolades she knows she deserves, but will also give the sanctuary a chance to win $10,000! You can vote for Jamie’s piece once per day from now until the end of the contest, which is 5:00pm ET on August 22nd.

Jamie_seed_art2

Please vote today and every day and share with everyone you know via email, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc!

Filed Under: Art, Enrichment, Fundraising, Jamie, Sanctuary, Thanks Tagged With: Art, artist, chimp, chimpanzee, contest, csnw, fire, firefighters, hsus, humane society, Jamie, Sanctuary, taylor bridge

Getting green

April 5, 2013 by J.B.

Last summer, over half of Young’s Hill was burned in the Taylor Bridge Fire. We knew that the grass and bamboo would recover, but it was hard to imagine it ever looking the same again.

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But with a little spring rain and some warm weather, the grass has come back as good as ever and we should be seeing some new bamboo shoots in the next month or two.

web Missy Burrito Foxie YH chow bags IMG_5293

The chimps used to run for cover at the first drop of rain, but lately they’ve been staying outside through some of the lighter showers. This morning, Missy, Foxie, Burrito, and Annie all ate their breakfast together in the rain. Jody, however, took her bag back to the greenhouse and dried herself off.

web Missy Annie Foxie Jody YH chow bags IMG_5306

The chimps love to eat spring grass. Most eat it a blade or two at a time, but Burrito stuffs handfuls in his mouth and eats it until his teeth turn green. For a guy that thinks about food nonstop, it must feel good to be completely surrounded by it.

web Burrito eat grass YH IMG_5379

web Burrito eat grass green teeth YH IMG_5373

Filed Under: Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jody, Missy Tagged With: Burrito, chimpanzee, fire, grass, northwest, rain, rescue, Sanctuary

Wildfire update

September 21, 2012 by J.B.

Just a quick update to let you know that the sanctuary is not in any danger from the wildfires currently burning across Washington State. However, the fires are creating hazardous air quality in some areas, including around the sanctuary on occasion. During these times, we have been keeping the chimpanzees indoors with the ventilation system recirculating and filtering the indoor air. Fluctuations in local weather patterns mean that the smoke conditions can change by the hour. Thankfully, the chimps are able to go outside most of the time.

Our thoughts are with the people affected by the current wildfires, including the heroic firefighters. For once, we are really looking forward to winter.

 

 

Filed Under: Sanctuary Tagged With: chimpanzee, fire, northwest, rescue, Sanctuary, smoke, wildfire

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