8. 9. 10.
The guys weren’t really sure how many fires there were from the storm cell that passed us yesterday. With little rain but a fair amount of lightning, we had trees popping up on fire all around.
Megan and Tess were gone with the boys, I picked up Lorelei from a babysitter and Daniel came flying in with Lacee and Reagan in tow. A couple of neighbors came dressed and ready to fight fire in their regulation Nomex clothing. The thing is… which way to go?
Lightning was still crashing around us. Would it start a fire closer to homes? Which fire was the town crew headed for? What strategy did these guys need for which fire?
As the girls and I watched, the guys made their plans, then I made sure I knew what and who was going where. I’ve designated myself “Big Trails Dispatch” for years… trying to pass on information between neighbors, our volunteer fire fighters, and the *real* dispatchers (who have no idea where Big Trails is!).
Vernon was going to go scout fires, which meant he would be on a high hilltop during a thunderstorm looking for strikes and fires. Most of these fires are usually single trees that have been hit by lightning, it’s the quick spread to other trees and grass that we worry about. He was in the FasTak Wildland Fire Truck.
Brandon is in the side by side which has its own little water tank. It may look small, but it’s often the first on scene and it can really beat back a lone tree fire before it blows up and spreads. B. jumped in with him, and sure enough, they were quickly on a fire. Even though it had spread to grass, they were able to put it out with the handy little machine.
Daniel and J. are in the old Jeep. People might look at this old Jeep and laugh, and, yes, it’s a rough ride! but that old Jeep can get places pickups can’t! In fact, Daniel and M. took it out again today to put out some more fires. They finished up and met the government boys coming out to fight the reported smoke. They asked if a pickup could get there and Daniel told them, “NOPE!”. It has its quirks, but it is a perfect vehicle for this rough country.
The guys are tired. The guys are hoping that these are the only fires they have to fight this year. We’re all hoping for more rain.
Thank you to the volunteers that jump in their trucks to help their neighbors in times like these. God bless you all.
Stay safe out there.
I have a question for your next q&a post: is the wildfire spread to grass that you mention due to cheat grass (Bromus tectorum) invasion there the same as we deal with in the Sierra Nevada? High montane ground, and over on the east side in the Great Basin, used to have widely spaced shrubs that seldom carried a fire – it would just burn itself out on the gravel as long as the wind wasn’t gusting. But since the invasion of cheat grass growing and filling the formerly empty spaces between the shrubs, a fire will carry here even on a perfectly calm day, so fires have gotten so much more dangerous.
Thanks for the question. Simple answer, yes! I will use this on the next Q&A.
Well done fire fighters/ranchers! We aren’t usually worried a bout fires till harvest time, dry corn stalks & hot bearing in a combine can start a fire, That ol’ greenish Jeep looks like a perfect fire truck!
Bless you all for your work protecting the land and your neighbors.