When Fire Comes Close: Leadership Lessons from the Flat Fire

Living in Sisters, Oregon, fire is something we all know is a possibility. It’s not a matter of if, but when. Still, nothing prepares you for the moment it becomes real. When the Flat Fire broke out and quickly threatened thousands of residents, our town found itself holding its collective breath. Families packed cars, neighbors checked in on each other, and as my husband and I prepared for evacuation, we witnessed the best of what community can be.

Sisters was incredibly fortunate that no other large fires were burning in Oregon at the time, which meant resources poured into our region. Within 48 hours, more than 1,400 firefighters were on the ground working to contain it. Even so, the fire exploded to more than 23,000 acres. Five homes were lost, but thousands more were saved.

Over the course of the week, small businesses opened their doors to evacuees and firefighters, offering free meals, showers, and supplies. Hand-painted “thank you” signs appeared all over town. Residents who weren’t directly impacted supported the businesses that were supporting those in need, creating a ripple of generosity. It was humbling to witness.

And it struck me: what unfolds during a fire is not unlike what unfolds in leadership when the heat is on. Stress, urgency, and uncertainty expose both cracks and strengths. Here are four lessons that stayed with me.

1. Create Defensible Space

Living in the high desert, defensible space is not optional. It means clearing brush, trimming back trees, and removing firewood stacks from against the house. The work can feel tedious, but when fire comes, that space can be the difference between a home being saved or lost. It does not stop the fire, but it gives firefighters a fighting chance.

Leadership is no different. Too many leaders run at maximum capacity all the time and leave no margin for the unexpected. When the fire comes, whether it is a sudden crisis, the loss of a key team member, or an urgent shift in priorities, there is nothing left to give.

Defensible space in leadership looks like boundaries and buffers. It means protecting time and energy through daily and weekly practices, carving out space for reflection, saying no to what does not matter, and modeling sustainable habits for the team. These intentional practices create capacity. When pressure comes, that space allows leaders and teams to respond with strength and ease. Just as a cleared perimeter gives firefighters room to work, healthy boundaries give leaders and teams room to breathe.

2. Follow the Plan

When evacuation levels changed, some families did not have to think twice. Their go-bags were packed, their lists were written, and their pets already had crates or leashes by the door. They knew what to grab and where to go. For them, the plan carried them through the fear of the moment.

Others were not as prepared. Stress crept in as they debated what mattered most or scrambled to track down essentials. The fire did not wait for them to decide. In those moments, clarity was replaced by panic, not because they were not capable, but because they were not prepared.

Leadership mirrors this reality. Every team will face situations where priorities shift or emergencies hit. Without a plan, energy gets wasted on confusion and duplicated effort. With a plan, everyone knows how to move forward. Roles, responsibilities, and communication channels are already clear.

A good plan does not erase stress, but it reduces the chaos that comes with it. It frees people to focus on execution rather than indecision. Leaders who plan ahead, even for unlikely scenarios, give their teams the gift of clarity when it matters most.

3. Focus on Facts, Stay Grounded

The Flat Fire was unpredictable. It dropped into a canyon nearly 30 miles away, and within 36 hours it was just two miles from town. Fear and uncertainty spread just as fast as the flames. Social media lit up with photos of the fire’s glow from town, while the rumor mill churned out speculation that made the situation feel even more volatile.

What struck me most was the difference in how people processed the stress. Those in the direct path of the fire, the ones who faced the very real possibility of losing everything, seemed the most at peace. The decision to evacuate was made for them, and many reached a place of acceptance. In contrast, people outside the immediate danger zone often wrestled with endless “what ifs,” stuck in the exhausting game of wondering when or whether to act.

It highlighted the importance of where we turn for information. Those who relied on rumors and unverified updates spiraled. Those who looked to incident managers and law enforcement stayed grounded. They focused on what was known, what was within their control, and what needed to happen next.

Leaders face the same choice in times of uncertainty. When stories and assumptions take over, fear escalates and decision-making suffers. Strong leaders filter out noise, center on truth, and act from that grounded place. This steadiness does not ignore risk, it acknowledges it while refusing to let fear dictate the response. By staying focused on facts, leaders make better decisions, steady their teams, and navigate uncertainty with clarity and calm.

4. Lean Into Community

One of the most powerful lessons from the Flat Fire was not about fire behavior, but about people. In the middle of fear and uncertainty, the community of Sisters showed up for one another. Businesses opened their doors to evacuees and firefighters, offering meals, showers, and places to rest. Hand-painted signs appeared on fences and storefronts that read, “Thank you, firefighters. We love you.” Those not directly impacted made it a point to support the businesses that were carrying the heaviest load.

It was a reminder of how much stronger “we” is than “me.” In times of crisis, titles and roles faded into the background. What mattered was showing up, offering what you had, and expressing gratitude. The spirit of generosity and collaboration carried people through.

Leadership calls for the same mindset. Teams thrive when competition and silos give way to collaboration. When leaders encourage resource-sharing, gratitude, and cross-support, the collective lifts everyone higher. No one person has to carry the fire alone.

Leaders who lean into community foster resilience that individuals alone cannot achieve. They remind their teams that strength comes from unity, that gratitude matters, and that supporting one another is as important as achieving the goal itself. When the focus shifts from “me” to “we,” possibilities expand and more gets done with less friction and more humanity.

Final Thoughts

The Flat Fire was a stark reminder of how quickly life can change and how deeply preparation, clarity, calmness, and community matter. When a fire breaks out, there is no time for ego or division. In Oregon, firefighters do not stop to ask whose jurisdiction it is. They do not rank one another or wait for someone higher in the pecking order to give permission. They respond together, collaborate seamlessly, and move with urgency toward the shared goal of putting out the fire.

Leadership works best when it mirrors that same spirit. We cannot always control the crisis that comes our way, but we can create space to absorb it, establish plans to guide us, stay grounded in facts, and lean into the collective strength of our teams and communities. Leaders who focus less on control and more on collaboration and clarity are the ones who steady others when the heat rises.

Firefighters often say, You cannot control the fire, but you can control how ready you are for it. The same is true in leadership. When we prepare ourselves and our teams, when we choose grounded decisions over panic, and when we remember that “we” will always be stronger than “me,” we create the conditions not just to endure the fire but to come through it stronger together.

A Note On Our Safety

Matt and I voluntarily evacuated for one day. While our plan is to evacuate at ‘Level 2 – Be Ready,’ the fire was burning fast, and our pup was anxious with the commotion of airplanes overhead. Rather than being forced to make a hard decision in the middle of the night, we chose to prep for evacuation and leave mid-afternoon. As we left town, we saw dozens of resources arriving, and we felt a sense of relief knowing that their arrival meant that our home, still 2 miles away from the fire at that point, was likely safe.