ANOTHER FIRE RUN

Got a call Thursday night while we were at the rodeo and got asked to go to a fire near where we live. I told the dispatcher I really wanted to watch the bull riding at the rodeo before I went anywhere. (There is a bull rider from here that I am friends with his dad and grandpa and I wanted to watch him ride again. He bucked off in less than 2 seconds. I was really bummed out---I had hoped for days he would win it.) The dispatcher told me to go ahead and watch them as they had enough help over at the fire site to get through until morning but to come to the dispatch center after the rodeo and help organize deliveries and supplies for the next morning.

I went down and ran through the orders they had placed and what they had on site and figured we would be good for the next day. I got home at midnight and didn't sleep much because of the adrenaline rush I get every time I get called out. I got up at 5:00, picked up the breakfasts for the fire at 6:00 and went over for the duration.

When I got near the fire camp I could see the fire burning close to the main highway but there were a bunch of engines there so I figured they would hold it and went on to fire camp. Shortly after I arrived they came in for breakfast and said they had caught that side of the fire and after breakfast were going back to secure the entire side. The fire was at 380 acres when I got there and it finished up at 410 acres so the crews did a great job.

While I was there I ran into two people I had worked with on a northern district and it was really good to see them. Both were with hand crews on the fire.

I spent three very long days in the fire camp making sure the crews had everything they needed to fight the fire effectively and finally made it home. I always get home from these incidents worn out but I sure do love getting the call and the chance to go on them.