This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:01] Amy Daniels: Welcome back to Season 4 of the Kitten & Clucky Podcast.

[0:04] If this is your first time listening, we hope you love it.

[0:07] Our characters have grown and changed a lot in the last three seasons, just like kids grow and change every year.

[0:13] Be sure to check out the other three seasons and catch up on all the adventures.

[0:17] And now, we join our characters down at the coop.

[0:21] Kitten, meow, meow, and Clucky, quack, quack, are two best friends trying to make sense of the world around them.

[0:28] Adventures and discoveries around every bend.

[0:33] Come along and explore with them.

[0:38] Season 4, Episode 1, Unexpected Spark.

[0:50] Howl.

[0:53] Did you hear that?

[0:55] Do you think it was a coyote?

[0:57] Sure sounded like one.

[0:59] I don't know. It sounded a little different than the sound the coyote pup, Kai, made.

[1:04] Maybe it was an older coyote, like a papa coyote.

[1:08] We should maybe consider going back into the coop, don't you think?

[1:12] Howl.

[1:14] Howl.

[1:17] Everyone, stay quiet. It's getting closer.

[1:20] It's really loudly sniffing. Maybe it's sniffing for us.

[1:24] It reminds me of when Rosie and Jack used to sniff around things.

[1:28] Hello!

[1:30] Hey, it's a coyote!

[1:32] Oh no, where?

[1:34] Aren't you a coyote?

[1:36] Oh no, I guess I'm more distantly related. All parts of the canine family.

[1:41] But no, I'm more closely related to the wolf.

[1:44] Oh no, wolves eat chickens and cats. Stay back, you beast!

[1:48] Stay back, you beast!

[1:50] Kitten, up to the top of the enclosure. I'm going to sound the alarm.

[1:55] Whoa, whoa. Hold on, calm down.

[1:58] Why should we?

[2:00] I'm not a beast. Sure, I may be related to wolves, but that's like saying that cat up there is related to a cougar.

[2:07] Hold on everyone, let's give him a chance before we sound the alarm.

[2:10] Maybe he's okay. I'm obviously not a cougar, but he is correct. Our species are related.

[2:17] So you don't eat cats and chickens?

[2:20] Not live ones. Ha!

[2:23] Just kidding, no. My preference is fish. Salmon in particular is my favorite.

[2:30] Oh, I love salmon. Do you prefer canned or fresh?

[2:34] No preference. I like it in my kibble, canned with a bit of teriyaki. Oh, and sashimi. Yum.

[2:41] You get chummy with salmon?

[2:44] Sashimi, raw fish. It's Japanese, like a type of sushi, but without the rice.

[2:50] Hmm, so you're related to the wolf, but you're not a wolf.

[2:55] Nope, I'm 100% Siberian Husky. Also known as a floof master, fluffy butt, and well, my name, Loki.

[3:02] Loki, as in the god of mischief?

[3:05] Huh, yeah. Us huskies are quite commonly called Loki. I've met quite a few in dog parks named Loki.

[3:11] God of mischief, though? I suppose I can get myself into a bit of trouble.

[3:17] My name's Sir Cluckington of Carrington.

[3:22] Well, Washington now. But everyone calls me Clucky.

[3:26] This here's Kitten. That's Bella.

[3:29] Hi.

[3:30] Bridget.

[3:31] Brock.

[3:32] And Brigitte.

[3:33] Cheerio.

[3:34] What's a Siberian Husky?

[3:36] Well, I'm a dog, Arctic origin. I love pulling and running. Lots of running. And snacks.

[3:43] Snacks? Now you're talking my language. What are your favorites?

[3:47] I love apples, pumpkin, oranges, broccoli, mangoes.

[3:53] Mangoes? I love mangoes, too.

[3:56] Ooh, yeah. Love mangoes. Oh, and sweet potatoes.

[4:00] You sound like a pescatarian.

[4:02] I'm not a pesky. That would be like a poodle-husky mix, wouldn't it?

[4:09] Pescatarian. One who eats vegetables, fruits, and fish as protein, not meat.

[4:15] Well, I do eat meat, but it's usually in a dried-up kibble form, so I don't know what kind of meat it is. It's just tasty.

[4:23] I see. So what brings you by, and where did you come from?

[4:27] Well, my family just moved in a few months ago down below. I came up for a run and to sound the alarm.

[4:33] You sound like my kind of dog. That's usually my job, to sound the alarm. What's the alarm for?

[4:39] A forest fire.

[4:40] What? Where?

[4:42] Oh, dear.

[4:43] Over across the valley, my hoo-man dad saw it and then apparently drove over there on his motorcycle to check it out.

[4:50] I heard him telling my hoo-man mom that there were some fire trucks there already.

[4:55] He said it wasn't that big, and it would be probably put out fairly soon.

[4:59] Thank goodness. That sounds absolutely terrifying.

[5:03] Well, I'm keeping an eye on it and sounding the alarm. I don't like fires.

[5:08] My mom and dad used to try and make me hang out with them by the campfire at our cottage, and I hated it.

[5:14] Nope, nuh-uh. Way too hot for my liking.

[5:17] I like snow. Nice. The colder, the better.

[5:20] You'll love the winters up here, Loki. We got lots of snow this year.

[5:24] Aroo! Me likey the sounds of that.

[5:28] Loki, where are you, boy? Loki, come.

[5:35] Loki, treat.

[5:38] Ooh, I gotta run. That's my mom, hoo-man.

[5:43] She said the magic word. I love treats.

[5:46] Coming. Bye. Nice meeting you all. I'll see you again soon.

[5:51] And he's off. He's fast.

[5:54] And did you notice he had two different colored eyes? One was brown and the other was blue. That was weird.

[5:59] That's quite common in that breed. It's called heterochromia.

[6:03] They can have two blue eyes, two brown eyes, or one of each color.

[6:07] And sometimes they can have two colors within the same eye.

[6:10] It can occur in humans. There was a girl in our neighborhood in Florida who had one blue eye and one brown eye.

[6:15] After we met her, Maddox and I looked it up.

[6:18] We also learned that it was common in huskies when we were reading a book about dog breeds.

[6:22] I think Xander even mentioned he'd like a Siberian husky.

[6:26] I like him. Anyone who believes in being on alert and sounding alarms is a friend in my eyes.

[6:32] Blue, brown, or whatever.

[6:35] I hope he's right that the fire is going to be put out soon.

[6:38] Why didn't we hear about forest fires back in Florida?

[6:41] We didn't live near forests. We're surrounded by them now.

[6:45] And the climate here is perfect for wildfires.

[6:48] The summers get so hot and dry because we don't get any rain for several months.

[6:52] It's common for forest fires to start by a lightning strike, but we haven't had any thunderstorms at all.

[6:57] I wonder how it started.

[6:59] We had thunderstorms all the time in Florida, but never forest fires.

[7:03] That's because it's too humid in Florida.

[7:06] What is humid again?

[7:08] To be humid means there's a lot of water vapor in the air.

[7:11] If there's a lot of water vapor in the air, the humidity is high.

[7:15] The higher the humidity, the wetter it feels outside.

[7:18] Also, if there's a lot of water vapor in the air, it makes it difficult to start a fire.

[7:22] Too right Florida was humid.

[7:25] You could almost drink the water out of the air at times.

[7:28] Then remember when we were driving across the country, and places were so dry that we were dunking our heads in the bowls of water so we could blink our eyes again?

[7:36] I remember that. My eyes were so dry they almost felt stuck open.

[7:41] It was like the air was trying to suck all the water out of us through our eyeballs.

[7:45] Meow, Clucky, you are so dramatic sometimes.

[7:49] Wait a minute. You said it's hot and dry here, and you're right.

[7:53] We have not had rain for a long time.

[7:56] It has also been so hot that I'm sure I've lost half my feathers that I had this winter.

[8:00] Why is it that my eyeballs feel fine right now?

[8:03] I can blink just fine, and I don't feel like I need to dunk my head in a water bowl.

[8:08] That is true. What is going on?

[8:11] Well, you've acclimated.

[8:14] Brock, I certainly didn't mean to make you aggravated.

[8:17] My humblest apologies, kitten.

[8:20] What? No. I said acclimated, not aggravated.

[8:24] What is acclimated?

[8:27] Acclimated means to become accustomed to a new climate or new conditions.

[8:32] Oh, well, why did we get acclimated when we were driving from Florida to Washington?

[8:36] Because it was too fast.

[8:39] What do you mean it was too fast? The driving took forever.

[8:44] I agree. The journey did feel like it took a long time, but really it was only a week, and the changes in the climate happened very quickly as we drove to new parts of the country.

[8:54] Your body did not have time to adjust to the climate of the region before it changed again, whereas now the changes have happened slowly over time, so your body had to make little adjustments during that time to keep you comfortable.

[9:07] What kind of adjustments? I have not noticed anything.

[9:10] Yes, you have. You all noticed that this winter you grew more feathers to keep you warmer, and although you may not have noticed, your feathers are now much lighter during the summer.

[9:21] You have shed a lot of them or molted.

[9:23] Molting is a process your body goes through to replace all your feathers.

[9:27] It usually is at its peak in mid-summer.

[9:30] So that's why there are so many loose feathers around the bottom of our coop.

[9:33] Correct. You have also been drinking more water, so that's why your body has more water to keep your eyes from drying out.

[9:40] That is so true.

[9:42] Xander has to refill our water bowl every day this time of year.

[9:45] I had never thought about that.

[9:47] Wow! I always knew my body was amazing, but it is also brilliant!

[9:52] Thank you for explaining about acclimation, but can we get back to the fire?

[9:55] If it was not caused by a thunderstorm, how else can a wild forest fire start?

[10:00] Unfortunately, the majority of forest fires are started by humans, usually accidental, sometimes carelessness.

[10:07] But we have mostly live trees around, and I thought they don't burn as well as old dry wood.

[10:12] There's a lot of dry debris on the ground.

[10:14] Dead leaves, old twigs, dried grass. It's really flammable.

[10:18] Aren't coniferous trees also more flammable than deciduous ones, Kitten?

[10:22] Delicious trees versus contagious trees?

[10:25] Oh, Clucky, didn't we talk about deciduous trees before?

[10:30] Deciduous trees are those that can lose their leaves in the fall.

[10:33] The ones that turn color, remember?

[10:35] Coniferous trees have needles instead of leaves.

[10:39] They are green all year round.

[10:41] In Washington and Oregon, in some areas, the forests are mostly deciduous, but not here.

[10:47] That makes forest fires more dangerous.

[10:49] The coniferous trees have sap in their needles, branches, and trunks that make it more flammable.

[10:55] The needles that fall blanket the forest floors and also are a great source of fuel for the fire because they get so dried out.

[11:02] Actually, in some forests that are a mix of coniferous and deciduous, the coniferous may burn out in a wildfire and allow the seeds of the deciduous trees to take root and regrow, and those forests are less susceptible to forest fires.

[11:15] That is sadly not the case here on the Pacific Northwest.

[11:19] Bridget: We have far fewer deciduous trees, so fewer seeds to fill out and grow.

[11:23] Clucky: Where do you get all this information, Bridget?

[11:27] Bridget: You'd be surprised how much you can learn from talking to the local birds and animals around here.

[11:32] Clucky: That's not surprising at all. We've met lots of new friends and learned so much about the other animals in our new environment.

[11:39] Bridget: We're so lucky to have moved to such an interesting new place.

[11:43] Clucky: I agree. I hope it sticks around and the fire doesn't reach us.

[11:46] Bridget: Do you still smell smoke? I think it's gotten better the last few days.

[12:08] Clucky: I don't smell anything except the scraps brought down in the morning by Xander.

[12:12] Bridget: I think there might be a bit of mango somewhere. I need to hunt that down.

[12:16] Datum: Greetings, my feathered friends.

[12:19] Clucky: Oh, hey, Datum! I've been wondering when we'd see you again. Have you noticed the fire?

[12:25] Datum: Hi, Clucky. The fire is the talk of the forest right now.

[12:29] Neil: Oh, hi, Neil. You've gotten so much bigger since the last time we saw you.

[12:34] Neil: Yeah, I'm almost as tall as my mom now. Normally, I'd be going off on my own, but this fire is a new experience, and Mama thought I should stick closer to her for now.

[12:43] Datum: Yes, my sons normally leave after a year, while my daughters tend to stick around a year longer.

[12:49] Neil: Neil was a late fawn, though, and he is super protective of me. It's very sweet.

[12:55] Clucky: Oh, them horses! You have other children?

[12:58] Datum: Oh, yes. I have several that have grown up and started their own families.

[13:03] Datum: My daughters are still around, and I see them from time to time.

[13:07] Datum: Neil is my last born, though. I think that's why he's stuck around and keeps me company.

[13:11] Neil: And safe!

[13:13] Datum: Yes, and safe. Are you all all right? This fire is alarming.

[13:19] Clucky: Is it still burning? We haven't heard much about it the past few days, and Kitten was just mentioning that the smell of smoke seems less than what it was originally.

[13:28] Datum: Unfortunately, it is still burning and has gotten bigger. The winds have taken it to the opposite direction, though.

[13:35] Datum: It's a difficult fire to contain, because the humans can't get to it easily.

[13:40] Clucky: How are they trying to control it? Are they using those long hoses?

[13:51] Datum: No, they can't, because there are no water sources unless they bring it up in water tenders.

[13:56] Clucky: A tender? Like a lion tender in the circus?

[14:00] Datum: Get back, beast!

[14:03] Bridget: Clucky, that's a lion tamer, not tender!

[14:07] Datum: I'm assuming Tatum means a tender, as in the vehicle that would carry the water?

[14:12] Bridget: Yes, they are large trucks that carry tanks of water, but they can't use those with this fire because the hoses aren't long enough, and they can't get close because of the lack of roads.

[14:22] Clucky: I've seen a few planes and helicopters flying more frequently lately. The helicopters look like they're carrying buckets.

[14:28] Datum: Yes, Mama has pointed those out to me. They are dumping water over the fires from the air.

[14:34] Bridget: Mama told me that the buckets are called Bambi buckets.

[14:38] Clucky: Bambi? That's a strange name to call a bucket. After a bee? Are there giant water bees that go BAM?

[14:45] Datum: Oh, Clucky, no. Bambi is a story about a young fawn growing up that the humans seem to enjoy.

[14:52] Datum: During the story, there is a forest fire. I suppose that's how it got named a Bambi bucket.

[14:58] Clucky: Oh! How much water can these helicopters and planes carry? How do you fill up a plane with water?

[15:04] Datum: It's actually very fascinating. We happened to see it yesterday while we were down by the lake. The plane comes in close to the water and skims the surface.

[15:12] Datum: There's a door that opens and allows water to fill the belly of the plane. Then it flies back up, the door closes, and it flies off, ready to dump the water where it needs to.

[15:25] Bridget: Maddox and I read that the helicopters fill up in a similar way. They find lakes nearby or even the ocean and lower their Bambi buckets down to fill them up.

[15:34] Bridget: And then they rise back up and fly away. The buckets can carry anywhere from 72 to 2,600 gallons of water.

[15:43] Clucky: It's a good thing we have that big river nearby and a lake.

[15:47] Bridget: In the book we read, there are many different types of aircraft that assist in fighting fires.

[15:52] Bridget: The planes can carry anywhere from 800 to 12,000 gallons of water depending on the type.

[15:57] Bridget: They also help in creating plans on how to attack the fire and put it out.

[16:01] Clucky: That's a lot of water. Is it helping?

[16:04] Datum: Well, the forest is full of firefighters right now close to the fire. I think I heard a human referring to them as hotshots.

[16:12] Datum: They're trained specifically for fighting wildfires and work closest to the flames to try to keep it from spreading.

[16:19] Datum: They dig trenches into the ground trying to eliminate fuel for the fire by breaking up roots, cutting down saplings, and even have ones that carry chainsaws to cut down trees.

[16:32] Datum: They even set fire to burn out fuel in advance to try and contain the spread.

[16:37] Clucky: They are so brave and very strong.

[16:40] Bridget: That sounds so dangerous.

[16:43] Datum: I'm sure they have their own exit plans in place.

[16:45] Clucky: Speaking of which, have your humans mentioned any plans about evacuating if you need to?

[16:50] Bridget: Evacuating? You mean leaving our home?

[16:53] Clucky: Yes. If the fire gets too close, it would be safest to leave.

[16:58] Bridget: While the fire is traveling away from this area, all it takes is for the wind to shift, embers to fly, and the fire could start moving into a new direction.

[17:07] Clucky: Let's get out now!

[17:09] Pharrell: Brigitte, you're welcome to come with me and my human!

[17:13] Pharrell: Where did you come from?

[17:16] Pharrell: I'm packing my bags!

[17:19] Pharrell: Oh, ma chérie, it is with terrible sadness that I come and visit you all.

[17:24] Pharrell: My owner has been lamenting in the barn about what to do about this forest fire.

[17:29] Pharrell: She fears we must leave right away because she is afraid of the danger and of us perishing.

[17:34] Clucky: Parachuting? That seems like the wrong way to go here, Pharrell.

[17:38] Pharrell: No, no, not parachuting. Perishing!

[17:46] Pharrell: Is this not the English word? To die suddenly or in an unexpected way?

[17:51] Bridget: No, you're correct, Pharrell. Perishing is an English word, and you are using it correctly.

[17:56] Datum: Wildfires are very unpredictable, Clucky, and we can never be too careful.

[18:00] Datum: While it's not close now, it can change directions.

[18:04] Datum: It isn't fully under control yet by any means.

[18:08] Datum: The amount of hotshots in the woods right now is evidence of that.

[18:12] Pharrell: I actually came by to make sure you were all right, and to warn you of the danger.

[18:17] Pharrell: I'm heading out with Neil to make sure we are clear of the area in case the fire does change direction.

[18:22] Pharrell: I feel like the wind could start shifting.

[18:25] Pharrell: This long-legged beauty is certainly expressing the same things my human has been crying about the last few days.

[18:31] Bridget: It seems premature.

[18:34] Pharrell: Humans need more time to evacuate, and we're all traveling on foot, so it takes us time to flee an area.

[18:41] Pharrell: Ah, ma chérie! Parting is such sweet sorrow!

[18:45] Pharrell: You must stay safe! I cannot bear the idea of losing you!

[18:49] Pharrell: Ah, ma chérie! Parting is such sweet sorrow!

[18:53] Pharrell: You must stay safe! I cannot bear the idea of a world without you in it!

[18:57] Pharrell: I don't know when we shall see each other again.

[19:00] Pharrell: Fear not! My feelings for you burn stronger than any fire!

[19:04] Clucky: Really, Pharrell? A fire reference, now?

[19:08] Pharrell: It was so difficult for me to slip away, and even come to say au revoir!

[19:13] Pharrell: My owner has kept such a close eye on me, and has been restricting my ability to traverse around the area.

[19:20] Bridget: I see.

[19:22] Pharrell: Brigitte, I'm coming with you!

[19:25] Bridget: Brigitte, there's no need to panic. Xander will protect us. He wouldn't let anything happen to us.

[19:30] Bridget: So stop packing your non-existent belongings and calm down.

[19:34] Pharrell: Zut, encore! I must go, my friends. I shall be thinking of all of you, and hoping you are all staying safe.

[19:40] Pharrell: I must go to my human before she loses out to me.

[19:44] Pharrell: Brigitte, apologies that I cannot take you with me.

[19:48] Pharrell: But I'm sure Clocky is right, and your humans will protect you. Au revoir and bonne chance, my friends!

[19:54] Clucky: Kitten, there is not enough time. Mon coeur, I must go.

[20:03] Bridget: He seems dramatic.

[20:07] Neil: Oh, Neil, you have no idea.

[20:08] Neil: Well, we're happy to see that you're all doing well. Neil and I must be heading out as well.

[20:14] Clucky: Bye, Tatum and Neil. We hope to see you all again after all this fire business. Au revoir!

[20:20] Bridget: Goodbye!

[20:22] Pharrell: Good luck!

[20:24] Clucky: Be careful!

[20:26] Pharrell: Bye, everyone. I hope we'll see you in the near future.

[20:29] Pharrell: Take care, my friends. Stay safe and be well. I'll check in on you again when we're back in the area.

[20:38] Clucky: Be sure to follow our show wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss out on what happens next.

[20:43] Clucky: Will the fire be put out? Will it change directions? Tune in next time to find out.

[20:48] Clucky: While you're waiting for the answers to these questions, check out our friends at Storypillar, a podcast for kids and grown-ups.

[20:55] Clucky: Join Sneak, Bean, Sparky, and Meg as they tackle sticky social situations, explore stories from all over the world, and pick up great advice from listeners like you.

[21:05] Clucky: They also save plenty of time for laughing and being silly.

[21:10] Clucky: So if you've got feelings, love stories, and are up for a fart joke or ten, Storypillar's definitely worth a listen.

[21:17] Clucky: Check it out at Storypillar.com or wherever you love listening to podcasts.

[21:22] Corwin Rosen: Voices for today's episode were performed by Corwin Rosen as Loki.

[21:27] Corwin Rosen: Aroooooo! Me likey the sounds of that!

[21:31] Julian Rosen: Julian Rosen as Neil.

[21:32] Julian Rosen: The fire is the talk of the forest right now.

[21:35] Christine Rosen: Christine Rosen as Tatum.

[21:37] Christine Rosen: This fire is alarming.

[21:39] Anne Farrell: Anne Farrell.

[21:41] Anne Farrell: Ah, ma chérie! Parting is such sweet sorrow!

[21:44] Parker Daniels: Parker Daniels as Bridget.

[21:47] Parker Daniels: You'd be surprised how much you can learn from talking to the local birds and animals around here.

[21:52] Bella: Bella.

[21:54] Bella: That is so true!

[21:56] Brigitte: And Brigitte.

[21:58] Brigitte: Wow! I always knew my body was amazing, but it is also brilliant!

[22:01] Amy Daniels: And Amy Daniels as Kitten.

[22:03] Amy Daniels: Meow! Clucky, you are so dramatic sometimes!

[22:07] Clucky: And Clucky.

[22:09] Clucky: Whoopah! Get back, beast!

[22:11] Amy Daniels: The Kitten and Clucky podcast was created, edited, and produced by Amy Daniels.

[22:16] Amy Daniels: Today's script was written by Christine Rosen and Amy Daniels.

[22:20] Amy Daniels: Special thanks to Henry Johnson, our theme song composer.

[22:23] Amy Daniels: Did you know he wrote that when he was only 12 years old?

[22:26] Clucky: Wow, he's so talented!

[22:28] Amy Daniels: Sound effects and song music provided by Epidemic Sound.