Fire – (n.) a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame. Fire has been ravaging our state, particularly the southeastern portion, since the end of June, and a fire is what happened last week on the ranch in which we live. It was Tuesday, July 31st. Wesley got in about 7:30 that evening from hauling hay, we ate a nice supper together, and settled in to watch a little TV before heading for bed. About 10:00 PM I looked out the window & noticed a big dry lightning storm moving in overhead. Wesley made the comment that there was probably going to be a lot of fires that night. Little did we know at that time that we were going to be one of them. Around 11:15 p.m. Jewel called the house & said there was a fire between our pasture & the neighbors (or so they thought). I looked out the bedroom window & could see a big orange glow to the south & east of the house. Wesley told me to stay at the house and he & his Mom set out to go look to see where the fire was. At 11:45 p.m. Rosebud County Fire called our house stating that there was a fire on the Diamond Ranch (our ranch), and that their crews were lost trying to find the best way to get to the fire. I don’t know much about the different paths to take across this ranch, but I damn sure knew the best way to get them to this fire. So, I told the dispatcher that I’d head up to where the fire crews were, meet them, and take them thru the gate that was closest to the fire so they could start fighting it.
I met the crews a little before midnight up the creek they were coming down, and led them to the gate they could get to the fire best through. At that point Wesley & Jewel (Moo Moo) were coming down from the fire, and we were gathering a game plan on how to best attack this thing. It was up in the pine & cedar trees, and at this point there was no putting it out. The best approach was to get a bulldozer, and put a nice fire line or guard around it to stop it once it gets out of those trees. Between the time I got the firefighters to the fire, and about 5:00 a.m. there were over 11 active fires within Rosebud County. Homes were being threatened and they needed all the manpower they could get at that particular fire. So, the fire crews left (all except 1), and we had to gather our thoughts and figure out what to do next. David got home about 11:00 that Wednesday morning, and him & Wesley started back-burning to help reinforce the fire lines that were made using the blade (road grater) that we had out there. All the dozers were taken from our place as well, because they were needed elsewhere. Between the tractor disk & the blade, we had a decent fire line going. The guys fought the fire all day Wednesday, and by Wednesday night things were looking better. Jewel and I ran back & forth all day Wednesday between the fires & the house. We made breakfast, lunch, and supper for all the firefighters, and kept everyone hydrated. None of us slept at all Tuesday night, except for about an hour between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. when the 3 of us (Wesley, myself, and Jewel) all fell asleep in the truck watching the dozer & blade make fire lines around the fire. So by about midnight Wednesday night Wesley and I called it an evening & went home to get some sleep.
Thursday we were up at 5:00 a.m. so that Wesley could help David try to do a little more back-burning before the sun started heating things up, and before the winds started picking up. We had 2 neighbors with little water trucks (water tanks on the back of their truck…they hold about 400 gallons of water) helping us hold each end of the fire, and we were very thankful they came out to help us. Jewel and I, again, made breakfast for everyone, then set out to help monitor the fire lines. She and I went on one end of the fire, and Wesley and David went to the other end. About 10:00 a.m. the winds started coming up with a vengeance. Every 5 minutes the wind direction was shifting, and you never knew whether the fire was going to go North, South, East, or West. It was that morning that Jewel and I watched the fire as it jumped the fire guard that was put in by the blade. We radioed to Wesley & David that our fire had jumped the lines, and about that time Wesley radioed back to us that their end had jumped the guard as well. To say we were in a pickle would be putting it mildly. We had no help on this fire. The fire was, as of Thursday morning, turned over to the DNRC (Department of Natural Resources Conservation - the government), and we could get no one to come with a dozer to help put bigger, stronger fire lines around the fire. That afternoon we were able to get a dozer out there, but that morning we were on our own. About 1:00 p.m. we realized the fire was heading straight for the pasture that the cows were just moved in to earlier that week. Wesley raced home & loaded up 4 horses for us, and we met him at home to help, then we headed out to try to gather the cows as fast as we could. By the time we got back there it was too late. The fire had moved too fast and it wasn’t safe. So, Jewel and I went around and opened all the gates so the cattle could run free & prayed they would get out. We went up on to a ridge where a water tank was, and I chased the cows out of there & down the hill in an effort to get them to move in the right direction…away from the fire. About 4:00 Wesley got back from helping the neighbor fight fire (the fire now jumped from our property to the neighbors, and was heading directly for his house) so he and I went to the south end of the place where the fire was also headed, got on top of a hill, and called & called cows until we couldn’t call anymore. We also opened gates on that end of the ranch as well. Then we decided it was best to go start putting fire lines around the hay yards we had. The winds had shifted once again, and the fire was now heading west…toward homes and hay. Wesley used the skid steer and box to put fire lines around the hay yards, and I drove up & down the road monitoring what the fire was doing, and what direction it was heading. At about 7:30 p.m. Moo Moo came to the hay yard that Wesley and I were at, and told me that we needed to start putting fire lines around our home, water our house & our yard, get out anything that we wanted to save or anything that was valuable, and drive the vehicles over the bridge across the creek because the fire was heading this way. After I cried for about 5 minutes, I realized I had to get moving and quick. I helped Wesley put in fire lines around our home (in the dark with me guiding him with the headlights from the pickup), then he & I headed inside to decide what we wanted to take with us, and what we wanted to leave behind. I can’t begin to tell you what it feels like, but at that point there was nothing we could do. If the fire was going to take our home, it was going to take it. We gathered clothes, pictures, wedding stuff, guns, and sentimental things and loaded them in the Durango, then headed across the creek with the vehicle. Before we left the house, we said a prayer, and asked God to bless our home and if it was His will, please save our home.
We got back to the house about 1:00 a.m. with the fire still inching up & over the hill towards our home, and our neighbors across the road as well. By this time, though, the DNRC brought out a Strike Team to sit at our houses and guard them (a strike team is a group of 6 men on a huge pumper fire truck ready to protect homes and evacuate people if need be). Wesley was absolutely exhausted when we got to the house, so I told him I would stay up & watch the fire, and I’d wake him up if I had a question. About 3:00 a.m. (Thursday night/Friday morning) the winds shifted once again, and the fire was heading our direction. I woke Wesley up and he went outside to take a closer look at things. He came back in & told me if the winds don’t change directions within the next 15 minutes that we were getting the hell out of there. We went back outside 15 minutes later, and could see the wind shifted, yet again. Then, about 4 a.m. I heard the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard…Rain…hard rain! It rained for about 2 hours steady, then lightly drizzled for another 4. It was a blessing from above that’s for sure. That rain helped put out the fire, and save everyone’s homes from potential danger. What a relief!! We were so thankful that the rain came, and although it wasn’t much, it couldn’t have come at a better time!
Friday we spent going around the property & assessing the damages, and watching for potential hot spots. Then we came in that afternoon for a much needed nap. To say that we were all exhausted was an understatement.
Saturday morning we got up early in the morning, saddled up, and began to drive all the cattle that had spread throughout the pastures back to one pasture, and to greener pastures where they’d be out of the smoky ash, and into clean air & water. It took all day to get the cows rounded up, but we did it. We lost 2 calves, and 1 cow, and considering how rapidly the fire raced thru the pastures, and how hot and smoky it was, we were very, VERY lucky to only lose 3 head. By the time Saturday rolled around they had multiple DNRC strike teams out at the ranch, 2 dozers, 1 blade, and I can’t tell you how many firefighters. They were starting to back burn again that day to help strengthen the fire lines. Saturday evening after Wesley and I got in the house, we both crashed early. 3 nights of little to no sleep had definitely caught up to us, and we wanted to get a good night’s sleep before Sunday.
Sunday we tried our best to hang out at the house and relax, but that didn’t quite go as planned. Wesley had to unload 2 truckloads of hay that morning, and I went with him to watch. Then we noticed plumes of smoke coming out of the fire on the ranch again, so we decided to drive up & take a look at what was going on. We noticed a couple planes buzzing around in the sky, then saw a helicopter coming our way as well. Then we realized that they were coming to assist with the fire on the ranch. It was amazing to see these huge bomber planes dumping retardant on the fire lines to reinforce them, then the big helicopter coming along & dousing the flames with the water they drop from their helicopter! What a sight to see!! I should have went back to the house & grabbed my camera, but I was so fascinated with the planes that Wesley and I didn’t want to miss a minute of the action! So, I didn’t go back for my camera. At any rate, it was quite a sight to see. They were so close to us it was as if we could reach up & touch them. And, it was quite a relief to see them coming in to help assist with the firefighting efforts.
As the days go on, we are very thankful and glad to be back into a routine that does NOT include the word “fire”. Our prayers continue to go out to those who lost their homes in a fire the southern part of the county, and we pray they get that fire out as quickly as possible. In total acres, the fire that started on the ranch has burned about 20,000 acres; roughly 7,000 of that is on the ranch. The rest are on neighboring pastures and land.
And on a much lighter note, we are very excited to see my parents soon!!! As the days go by it gets closer & closer to the time that they’ll be here and we can’t wait!! It will be a much needed good time for all of us!
No comments:
Post a Comment