Hi folks, this is Dave. It’s taken awhile to get back to this blog… and this first post in awhile isn’t all sunshine and butterfly kisses. The following email was sent out by the Tracker School earlier today:

Hello All
As many of you already know, there is currently a wildfire in the Pine Barrens, in the area around the Primitive Camp. We have been absolutely inundated with calls and messages of concern, and we cannot thank you enough for your prayers and support. At this time, we can confirm that the Tracker office and the Brown residence are safe and were spared from the fire. Alex the Caretaker in camp was evacuated and is safe. We do not yet have confirmation of the status of the Primitive Camp or the many sacred areas surrounding it. 
 
We are working in close conjunction with law enforcement and fire personnel, and anticipate having further updates as soon as tomorrow. Please understand that at this time, the fire is still actively burning and it is extremely difficult to assess what has and has not been affected. As soon as we have more information, we will send out a video to update everyone. In the meantime, we ask that you give our staff, and the Brown family, space and understanding as we navigate this evolving situation. 
 
Law enforcement and fire personnel have asked for our cooperation and assurance that we will not attempt to access the area in any way until we receive their clearance and permission to do so. We cannot emphasize this enough. Please, in the interest of your personal safety and our relationship with these officials, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER CAMP, THE SAND ROADS, OR ANY PART OF THE PINE BARRENS EFFECTED BY THE FIRE.
 
If you choose to disobey these instructions for any reason, you will be considered trespassing, and you will be directly disobeying orders from both law enforcement and fire personnel. Please respect the unbelievably hard and dangerous work these folks are doing. 
 
We also ask that you refrain from calling these services at this time, so that they can prioritize emergency calls and the daunting work in front of them. We are in close communication with them and promise we will update everyone as soon as we have more information via email and the school Facebook page. Please stay tuned and continue to send prayers for protection, rain, and the continued safety of those working so hard to put out the flames. 
 
Thank you all. Stay safe and be well.