I’m standing in the back of one of the Park Ranger pickups. Helped them load in garbage & tools. At first the Rangers wanted us thruhikers to turn around & backpack back to Longmire the way we came. We all revolted. Hell no, we protested quietly but firmly. Logistics, caches, & schedules were all messed up. I had to let my friend Michelle who was generous enough to drive out & pick me up next week after she got off work that she didn’t have to do that now, concerns about spreading wildfires, no cell communication from Mowich Lake, just ranger radio, etc., etc.. So HQs relented & we thruhikers had to wait for a convoy of 3 pickup trucks to evacuate us out. I made friends with two couples from Austin, TX and another from Los Angeles, CA. There are others, too, from around the U.S.A. & even other countries.