Los Angeles fire camp like a little city

But none of that stopped mobile human relations specialist Christopher Jefferson from producing the "Thought for the Day," a reminder to "exercise tolerance" and "respect people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, race, sexual identity . . . are different from your own." The thought was printed in a decorative font, copied and distributed along with weather reports, maps and assignment lists to camp personnel.

This is life in the fire camp, a community of 4,700 firefighters and support staff that has sprung up in the parking lot at the Hansen Dam Recreation Area in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

When firefighters are not risking their lives in the rugged terrain of the Angeles National Forest, they return here to eat, shower and sleep in a sprawling complex of tents and mobile trailers. They can even shop: $20 T-shirts that commemorate "The Station Fire" are being sold from a tent near where another man sharpens chain-saw blades.

"This is our city," said Dixie Dies, a public information officer who flew in from Montana to work the fire.