Last evening we were grilling salmon for two longtime friends, one a semi-retired forester.
We heard the blast of three fireworks and the squeal of tires. Within moments, flames were racing up the hillside across the road from the property we are caretaking north of Spokane, Wash.
Jimmy called 911 while running for the two shovels stored in the garage. In the brief time it took to get to the base of the fire, a passing motorist and bicyclist stopped to help. The forester began clearing a fire break at the top of the fire and the others, using shovels or scooping with their hands, tossed dirt onto the flames. In less than 10 minutes the blaze was put down. The volunteer fire department arrived about five minutes later with their tanker truck to pour water and foam onto the smoldering debris and thoroughly drown the potentially dangerous flareup.
Click on “Another View,” to read Jimmy Smith’s reflections on fighting this brush fire and his memories as a child of being lured by the danger and noise of firecrackers.
(Photo by Julianne G. Crane)
