Fifteen Minutes with the colorful chopper pilot

Start the clock!

Out at the Roseau Municipal Airport last week, Mike Carisch, who flies helicopters for a living and is very good at dumping water on big fires just about anywhere in America, fired away.

His time was limited. There was a conference call shortly with area forestry officials. Plus, it was dry and he could take off at any moment.

Mike needed no script.

He's lived what he talks about, and it's been a wild ride for a guy who originally hails from the Twin Cities.

Play football in high school?

"(Expletive) yeah," he said and smiled. It was the only time he swore.

"I was a middle lin...