It has been an interesting several days. Sunday afternoon we noticed smoke several miles South of us. I called BLM fire center to make sure that they knew of it. We watched the fire grow all afternoon and evening. The wind of course was no help to anything other than to spread the fire.
We had gone to bed when our neighbor called us worried about how close it was getting. Karen and I drove down South on Hwy 97 and found that the fire was still 15 miles south of us and on the other side of Whitehorse Road. The wind had died down and the fire looked to my untrained eye to be subdued enough that with a bit of work and luck would be under control. Of course that was just wishful thinking. Apparently the fire crews didn’t feel the need to hasten its demise.
The next day, Monday we had an appointment in Boise, so we left John Gilpin here with the dogs. ( John is here touring the US from Australia. ) The temps were supposed to be the hottest of the year, and with the winds and the temps, the fire took off again. It jumped both the Whitehorse Road and Hwy 95. As we came down the hill into Jordan Valley city limits, we were greeted by a line of trucks and cars right back to the edge of town. Not seeing much chance of that working out, I ducked through town to the service station to find out what was going on.
I was surprised to find that it was the fire that had been so sure was out. The Hwy Dept was stopping traffic in town so that travelers would at least have some of the amenities that are so scarce once you leave town. We drove to the head of the line, and were allowed on past to see what could be done here at the house. It was a pretty fast trip home.
Our prayers were answered, the wind had changed and was blowing from the West. It was still about 8 miles South of us. We watched it all evening and in four hours had traveled some 20 or more miles across the Desert.
Finally at 1:30 AM I drove South to see where the fire was and to try to determine our danger level. I finally saw a BLM truck along the road, and pulled up to see if I could find any information on what was happening. Apparently every one had gone home because it was dark or something. I realize I am being very critical, but I am convinced that Govt. stupidity is rampant in these agencies. I asked how it was going and if they were going to get it out. He said “ Fires are problematic and all go out sometime”. You see where my attitude is coming from. I returned back home and maintained my vigil.
Photo's by John Gilpin
At daylight I rolled Dart out of the hanger and went on a recon to see just what was happening from a vantage point that I could not get from the Hwy. Again the fire was for the most part over. There was a couple of hot spots that could have been put out if there had been any one to do so. The fire was still on the other side of a pretty wide dirt road, and still 8 miles South of us. When I got back I put in a call to our power company Co op to get an idea of how long the power would be out. The freezers were becoming critical. The lady answering the phone informed me that they had lost 65 power poles in the fire and it was going to take a while.
I began trying to get the Motor home started so that if the fire did come our way again we would have something that we could stay in while the house burned. Finally I was able to get it jumped with the truck, and moved to the other side of the hanger. Then I turned my attention to the Onan Generator that the Motor Home is equipped with. It has always been a pain in the butt and I had not run it for at least two years.
It ignored the starter switch completely, which I actually expected. I wanted some fuel in the Motor Home so that I could charge the battery. Oh well I thought, I have an “inverter” and promptly blew that out trying to run the electric pump on the Diesel tank. Back to the Generator! I pulled the truck up to the Generator and it was obvious that the power wasn’t coming through, So I got the Jumper cables, and went direct from the truck to the solenoid and cranked it over. While it would crank, it was obvious that it wasn’t getting gas. The Onan has an electric fuel pump that has been one of my major problems with its use. Back to the shop, pull out an extra “facet” fuel pump and tank that I had used when I flew to Texas with Arty. A little creative wiring and bypassing the fuel pump totally, and it started right up. I ran some extension cords to the three freezers and my worries were over at least on the freezer front.
After John and I got the generator working, we then started on a fire break around the house and property. I had tried to burn a break earlier in the year, but the danger was just too much to do so. John went behind the chicken pen and loafing shed and started pulling all the old boards and what ever burnables that he could find, while I hooked the quad up to my chain link drag. We beat down whatever stuff that was there until we had a 40 foot dust track. I then got the tractor and hooked up the disc and started on the field on the East end of the house. I disced and John drug until we had another good fire break there. We both felt much better when it was done.
They have just now walked the Dozers back here, so I assume that the fire is finally contained. The man was right, when the fire hit the Owyhee River some 35 to 40 miles after it started, it ran out of things to burn. Until the next day of course.
Now the fire has turned to the South and last I heard was close enough to McDermit Nev. that they have finally called in some fire crews that are actually allowed to put the fire out.
We just checked NFIC ( National interagency fire center) and they currently say that the fire is 50 % contained and has burned somewhere around 800 square miles of range land.
I cannot begin to convey to you the devastation that these ranchers are facing. One of the ranchers close to where this thing started, has lost all of his range, and at least 160 head of cattle. The bad part is that there is no where to put his remaining cows that they can find a bite to eat. It is my understanding that once the range is burned it will be 7 years before they allow cows on it again. Then there is the habitat for Sage Grouse that everyone thinks the main culprit is the rancher and his cows, yet the actual danger to the Grouse is the fire program employed by the BLM. They seemed to not care at all about putting the fire out.
Our neighbor Dave, his family and his brothers and sister went down to help the "12 Mile Ranch" with the fire, and to try to get their cattle to safety. Dave was bringing a bunch of cows down to safety when the fire exploded all around him and the cows. There was no way out, but Rosie, ( Dave's sister") had no intention in allowing him to die in the fire, and drove straight into the flames and managed to get to him. They somehow got back out before the truck that she was driving was choked to a stop from loss of oxygen. It was hot enough that Dave's hat caught on fire while he was on horseback driving the cows. He managed to get out with nothing more than a blister on his forehead. His hat was pretty disgusting anyway! The cows didn't make it, but his horse did with a scorched tail and some burns on his feet. It just happened to be Dave's birthday.
No one knows when the fire will be out totally, or how it will change the area, or the cost to the ranchers of the area. They, unlike the BLM have been killing themselves to put the fire out, protecting as much as they could. Helping each other night and day while still trying to maintain their ranches as well.
