Around 9PM last evening, I heard a vehicle pull into the driveway followed by pounding on my back door. I was busy doing employee management tasks but jumped up to see who was on the back porch. Turned out to be my new neighbor and before I'd even opened the door, he was yelling that there was a grassfire and it had jumped the fence line. After my wildfire 11/2, this announcement was akin to a solid face slap. Grouch Attack had already gone to bed so I ran n and awakened her before going down stairs to get into work clothes and coat.
By the time I got dressed, we could see the glow 1/2 mile away. We took a look and the neighbor asked if we should call the FD but my spur of the moment assessment indicated we could handle it. I returned to the house for safety goggles, better gloves, and my leaf blower. (It would have been better to have taken 5 minutes to load this tool before leaving than to waste 15 minutes returning for it BTW). That 15 minute delay allowed the fire to gain another acre on us.
I jumped right into the fight and by the time neighbor returned with his bigger leaf blower and a couple of rakes, I had most of the fire on my property fully under control other than a couple of small spots. The fire on the neighbor's side was still gaining ground and had reached a weedy, brushy ditch line that led directly to 60 acres of dense timber. I found a spot where cattle had crossed the ditch and decided this was the spot to make our stand. We got the neighbor's backpack blower going and his wife got a rake and we beat the fire back on itself at the cattle path. There was quite a bit of fire still blazing but the pasture grazed off short gave us time to push it back and get it under control. An hour or less from the initial knock on my door and we could stop for a breather.
Not terrible but still not the expected evening's activities. Guesstimate of 4-5 acres of pasture and hay field scorched but will re-grow, maybe a few wood fenceposts damaged, steel posts lost some paint, and neighbor's Father in Law (he started the fire while burning an old brushpile) was seriously upset. When the older guy showed up, I'd told Grouch Attack to stay with him just in case he had a medical issue-turned out a good idea. He had no business being anywhere near the fire and the last thing we needed was a stroke or heart attack to deal with 3/4 of a mile from any access other than ATV.
ANYHOO, it was a challenge. I'd been concerned about how (or even IF) I could face the fire/flames after getting badly singed a few months back. Question answered-YES.
By the time I got dressed, we could see the glow 1/2 mile away. We took a look and the neighbor asked if we should call the FD but my spur of the moment assessment indicated we could handle it. I returned to the house for safety goggles, better gloves, and my leaf blower. (It would have been better to have taken 5 minutes to load this tool before leaving than to waste 15 minutes returning for it BTW). That 15 minute delay allowed the fire to gain another acre on us.
I jumped right into the fight and by the time neighbor returned with his bigger leaf blower and a couple of rakes, I had most of the fire on my property fully under control other than a couple of small spots. The fire on the neighbor's side was still gaining ground and had reached a weedy, brushy ditch line that led directly to 60 acres of dense timber. I found a spot where cattle had crossed the ditch and decided this was the spot to make our stand. We got the neighbor's backpack blower going and his wife got a rake and we beat the fire back on itself at the cattle path. There was quite a bit of fire still blazing but the pasture grazed off short gave us time to push it back and get it under control. An hour or less from the initial knock on my door and we could stop for a breather.
Not terrible but still not the expected evening's activities. Guesstimate of 4-5 acres of pasture and hay field scorched but will re-grow, maybe a few wood fenceposts damaged, steel posts lost some paint, and neighbor's Father in Law (he started the fire while burning an old brushpile) was seriously upset. When the older guy showed up, I'd told Grouch Attack to stay with him just in case he had a medical issue-turned out a good idea. He had no business being anywhere near the fire and the last thing we needed was a stroke or heart attack to deal with 3/4 of a mile from any access other than ATV.
ANYHOO, it was a challenge. I'd been concerned about how (or even IF) I could face the fire/flames after getting badly singed a few months back. Question answered-YES.
You're back !!!!
