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< July August 2004
	Paddle People
Burning Ambitions Pro kayaker mixes whitewater and wildfire Renee Jack

It’s summer and pro freestyle kayakers are preparing for competition on the Salmon River. Suddenly, a short, stalky figure in a filthy yellow and green fire-retardant suit comes running breathlessly out of the woods, white eyes and teeth showing a stark contrast to a soot-covered face. The man briefly pauses at the waterfront, radiating oviferous waves of smoke and sweat, then flings himself into a battered kayak, paddles furiously out to the starting line, and uses all the energy he can muster to compete. "I have no idea what place I ended up with," recalls Tyko Isaacson, who ran three miles to the 2001 rodeo after fighting a nearby wildfire. "I never found out because I had to leave right after I competed to get some sleep before my next shift."

Isaacson is now in his fourth year of balancing the elements of wildfire and whitewater between two demanding careers. A pro paddler for Pyranha, Isaacson, 25, can be seen creeking in Still Twitchin’ and Twitch IV, or competing in rodeos when the fires fall. In 2002, his first year on the pro-rodeo circuit, he made finals in four out of five events, then in 2003 he paddled to a top-10 finish at Bob’s Hole. While most elite kayakers at the top of their game would deem this a modestly successful record, no other paddler at Bob’s drove nine hours overnight after fighting a raging wildfire in Idaho’s Nez Perce National Forest. Isaacson guides his crew into hazardous, unknown situations, initiating rapid action based on his knowledge of fire-suppression strategy and tactics, knowing full well his squad’s lives are in his hands. "I don’t know anyone else out there who is doing the balancing act that Tyko is," says Tao Berman, training partner and former roommate, "and he is doing extremely well at both."

Isaacson’s secret to simultaneous success in two demanding professions lies in taking advantage of unexpected benefits from this unique combo: He can scout creeks while on remote fires, and enroll in off-season fire courses near his winter home in Eugene, Ore. And because he leads the physical training program on the Clearwater Ranger District fire crew, he not only maintains excellent physical condition, but pushes the rest of the crew as well. "Firefighting keeps Tyko in shape for paddling, and paddling in the winter keeps him strong for the fire season," says lifelong friend Josh Bechtel, adding that Isaacson is passionate about both.

Isaacson didn’t just wake up one morning and find himself juggling firefighting and freestyle. His path began with a high school state wrestling championship, followed by a scholarship to Portland State and a path toward a medical career. Feeling that something wasn’t right, he dropped out to hang metal siding in a trailer factory in La Grande, Ore. Then, in 1999, he discovered both paddling and firefighting and took off in a new direction.

This winter he is expanding his training horizons by hauling his boat to 10 countries in Asia and the South Pacific, getting back in time for spring rodeo season. Isaacson’s plan is to "compete and creek on the West Coast until the fire world calls." When it does, he’ll trade his kayak and paddle for a chain saw and Pulaski, and then switch back yet again, replacing his Vibram-soled fire boots (complete with a lump where his boating bunion has molded the leather) with booties to cool off his singed hairs in a chilly river. So continues his juxtaposition of fire and water.

—Renee Jack