Henry Hodde is currently a senior at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs, studying environmental science and journalism. The Vermont native came to Colorado to attend school and says he immediately “fell in love with the state and everything it has to offer.”
He said wildfires are not a problem in Vermont, and that since living in Colorado he has come to better understand the reality for many people living in the West. This moment of realization came the summer after his freshman year of college, as he was driving through the burn scars left by the Eastern Trouble fires on his way back to Colorado Springs from Wyoming.
“Witnessing what it was like, I had never really seen anything like this before, and it was really eye-opening. It completely deepened my understanding of the devastation that can be experienced,” Hodde said.
With a better understanding of how wildfires affect local communities, Hodde began digging deeper.
This podcast started when he started working on the Rocky Mountain Project. at the University of Colorado. The Rocky Mountain Project encourages students to further develop their interest in the social and political challenges of the Rocky Mountain West.Students working on the project Undertaking multidisciplinary research across the region for the project.
While working on the Rocky Mountain project, Hodde said he traveled the West and visited Moab, Utah, which was affected by the 2021 Pack Creek Fire. While in Utah, Hodde was able to speak with wildfire experts and learn more about wildfire management.
Last summer, Hodde interned at NPR and learned about creating podcasts.
“It was really cool to learn from the people I worked with there how they created their podcasts, like weaving ideas together and sort of crafting and having a consistent storyline and things like that. We make things,” Hodde said.
Although the idea behind the project had been around for years, he finally completed the podcast in the summer of 2023 during the school holidays.
“Forged By Fire” is the title of Hodde’s podcast series, available to listen to on Spotify.. This podcast is the perfect intersection of research, environmental issues, reporting, and creativity for Hodde, and he was able to use those skills to create his three-part series. He is a podcast reporter and producer.
The first episode, titled “There's No Such Thing as Fire Season,” begins with emotional testimonies from Grand Lake residents who experienced the fires. Its resident is Emily Hagen, executive director of the Grand Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Hodde also speaks with Shelly Olson, who founded Grand County Wildfire. Council of 2013.
The podcast features a wide range of topics discussed by Hodde and guests, including fire mitigation, community healing, climate change, and forest management.
Episode 2, titled 'Recovery', focuses on the aftermath of the bushfires and what local communities have done to recover. Episode 3, titled “Fire in their Blood,” tells the story of how a college assignment leads Hoddy to a family that fights wildfires together.
Those interested in listening to the three-part series can do so on Spotify..
