A neighbor called, "Deb do you see the fire", I asked where, he said right near your home. From there everything was a whirlwind. We quickly turned on the sprinklers next to the house while my husband drove into the field on our tractor, cutting in a dirt road to help stop the fire from advancing towards the house.
The Fire Department had not arrived yet. Our neighbor's trees across the field from our front door were igniting as I turned my back to head down to the barn. There was no time to move the animals off the farm. I got them all out into the dirt paddocks while a dear neighbor and his wife dragged another dirt break around the paddocks with our cultivator attached to their truck. By the time I got back up to the house, a helicopter had arrived, dropping water. Forty firefighters were busy at work and the fire was almost out!
Our farm is a buffer to a large development, I can look north and see
only open space and the mountains, yet south we are bordered by a large
development teaming with families. They wanted this fire out quickly. The fire department stationed a truck and two firefighters by the house in case they were needed, fortunately the fire was stopped on our lower pasture.
We had firefighters on the property throughout the night and into the next morning making sure all the fire was out. All the animals, thankfully made it through. The helicopter flying overhead and the truck driving circles around their paddocks gave them all a fright, but by nightfall all were back safe and sound in their barn.
To the firefighters who battle fires until the last embers are out, a most heart felt Thank You!
~ Deb
* Last time in Barn Stories: Lawn Mowers
