Our first "real" fire in years

[twoodcock@lendleaserei.com]

I know it doesn't compare to the big stuff up north, but here in ranchette land
this was a major deal:

About 30 acres of pasture and scrub burned Saturday, not even 1 mile from my
house.  Five different pieces of property affected.

Fire looks to have started on the shoulder of the road (cigarette?  catalytic
converter?), miraculously missed a tired old church (hate to be ugly, but if it
was insured, it might have been better to let it burn than wait for it to crash
down on the congregations heads) and attacked the pasture land where I usually
ride.  Took two counties worth of semi-regular FD and volunteer FD to contain
and supress.  Missed all barns and houses, but only just.  Had about 30 yards
before it would have hit a barn with a house right behind that.  Also seems to
have slowed considerably when it hit several heavy tree strands (you know the
kind that grow up on fence rows after 20 plus years)

The weirdest thing was I didn't even know it was there for the longest while.
There was no breeze to blow the smoke.  I was in the pool and thought I smelled
a wiff of woodsmoke.  So I put on some shoes and walked all around, checked out
the back wood, the neighbors.  No fires so I went back into the pool.  Hours
later Dad came home from the store and asked why we had no gone to help with the
fires!  Changed into heavier clothes, grabbed some old blankets, rakes and
shovels, filled the water drums in the truck and headed out.  The fire was well
in hand when we got there, just stood around talking with other non-volunteer
volunteers.

-Tamara