Forest Ranger Bernard Siskavitch at the site of forest wildfire. May 5, 1999. Rossi, NY. Photo courtesy of Bernard Siskavich.

Bernard Siskavich is a retired forest ranger with the Department of Environmental Conservation. His job included forest fire prevention and suppression, search and rescue, and routine patrols of state land. In 1976, when he moved to Wanakena, there were only 78 rangers in the state, and at one point Bernard and one other man were the only two rangers in charge of the southern part of St. Lawrence County. Listen to his story here.