Seems to me that chopping telephone poles, dry/seasoned wood, would be pretty hard. Usually wet wood cuts easy but is hard to split but dry wood is just the opposite. Cutting down four poles has to represent a fair amount of energy. I'm just not sure what the mile per pole ratio is. With that much energy he might have hiked out.

Then again perhaps he really didn't feel he had many options. Most of those woods, as I understand it, are monitored for fire. Setting a bonfire, well controlled of course, would pretty sure to get firefighters coming your way.

I would be pretty reluctant to chop down power poles, property damage and cutting power for entire communities isn't my style, but if that was really the only option I would do it. I'm just not sure it was his only option. Exhaustion, sleeplessness, starvation and desperation can make creative thought next to impossible. Sitting here, well fed and rested, it is easy to maintain perspective and think up alternatives. Second guessing people who were in a desperate situation is easy, but it isn't likely to be profitable.