In January of 2021, DocSong partnered with @uwjacksoncounty (United Way of Jackson County) to host our first wildfire workshop. We're to share our first song from this project, “Why do I sign back up?” By sharing stories written by those who experienced the 2020 wildfire season firsthand, DocSong hopes to increase empathy and spark activism.

Jay Wilder was the story source for this song. We wrote about his experience with the Walker Fire, an especially fast-growing blaze in Northeastern California last September. Jay spends each summer fighting wildfires—the work is grueling but the strength and camaraderie of his crew keeps him coming back.

Alex Wilder is Jay’s brother, and also the mastermind behind this video. He’s singing, playing guitar, and had some crucial songwriting pointers for us as well. @mayfrench is playing fiddle in the background, and Jamie Oshima is the overdub engineer. It often takes a village to write a song!