Arizona Marine Walks Miles To Save Family Dogs From Wildfire After Highway Closed
When a wildfire shut down the highway near Wickenburg, Arizona, Kurt Gregory knew exactly what he had to do.
The former Marine learned that the road closures caused by the fast-moving Jones Fire meant he couldn’t simply drive home to get the family’s dogs, life-saving medications, and precious keepsakes. So instead, he made a decision he said was “almost instantaneous.”
He would walk the 5 to 6 miles in the heat. With authorities allowing limited access because their area was still under “Set” status and not yet a mandatory “Go” evacuation zone, Kurt set out on foot.
His wife Nancy remained behind in the car and admitted the situation made her “pretty anxious,” though she also said she knew her husband would be okay. Even so, seeing him calmly decide to make the long walk through wildfire conditions was still a little surprising.
For Kurt, however, leaving the dogs behind was never really an option.
Kurt continued several miles on foot until authorities decided to let through those homeowners in the “Set” area, so Nancy was let through to catch up with her husband who was already several miles down the road.