FIRE on our Ranch

Living in California during a drought is never fun. Especially when living on a Ranch irrigating lands for cattle and having water for your own household. Everything else is VERY dry.

Where we live there is always threat of fire. Just this year alone on our property we have had 2 fires before today. Lightening strikes are usually the cause. We love the rain and need it badly but Lightening is not our friend especially during dry storms.

Yesterday though it was one heck of a day. Blue skies so did not even think of a fire. Ryan was outside fixing fences thankfully has a good eye. He runs three ranches. One we live on, one that is across the street per say (its 2000 acres away and on 3000 acres itself) and then one closer to town which we cant see by eye. While he was out fixing fences he saw smoke on the other ranch. He grabbed the quad, shovel and came in and yelled he had to go to other ranch. I decided to jump on with him and go help just in case.

Side note....its pretty funny when your heart is pumping because you see smoke that could be a small fire but with the winds we were having would turn to a big one and all you hear your husband say is, "Don't be mad if I am driving to fast and HOLD ON".

We get there and THANK GOD Thad and his wife were there putting it out. They had seen it, called Fire Dept. I felt so bad for them. They were frantic but so smart. The fire got dangerously close to the Barn and Thad was able to keep it away with wet blankets. I asked him later how he even knew to do that and he said "I have just seen too many old westerns I guess". Thad is an amazing Rancher who leases the land for his cows. His wife was amazing and had no qualms about getting out there to help. She had even lost her shoes while running to help. I think we owe her a pair for sure. Ryan jumped right in without a second thought and started turning over every little ember so it wouldn't spread. He got along the fence line so it wouldn't go out into the field and kind of told us what to do.

By the time the Firefighters showed up we all had it pretty much out but things were smoldering everywhere and winds were still high. With the winds if Thad hadn't grazed that area and our structures weren't on cement slabs I don't even want to think of what would of happened. I am thankful for Thad and his lovely wife. I know they were thankful when we showed up because it was crazy frantic. My heart was racing so much as we all were trying to get the fire to not go any further.

When the firefighters showed up they helped us to determine what had happened. With 50-70mph winds they said that the tin on one of the structures had came undone. It had blown up and hit a power line which caused it to arch. Once it arched it of course sparked and those sparks hit the dry land and away the fire went. They were impressed with how much we all had done. We were all lucky.

I am thankful to God. Thankful to Thad and Amanda for being at the right place at the right time as they aren't usually there at that time of day. Thankful to my husband for seeing it and running right over to help. Thankful to the firefighters who came and made sure it was safe and no sparks would continue to fly.

My husband was a firefighter in his 20s. That's what he went to college for. So when he sees fire he heads straight there. I know that he is smart and capable when it comes to fires and what to do. It helped with four of us helping. They were so thankful to see the dust coming down the road of Ryans Quad to come help. Being so far out it takes firefighters 40 minutes to get there. I cant even imagine what would of happened and how much land would of been burnt or structures at that.

Firefighters are amazing and everyday risk their lives. I was so thankful to see them and they were all so helpful! It gives a civilian peace of mind when they show up. Like ok....I can breathe...everything is going to be okay now.

It was quiet an adventure. I had told Ryan that I didn't have anything to blog about lately that morning. Later he said "well here you go". I am never going to say that again. This wasn't quiet what I was thinking about ha!

I hope the drought will end soon. I hope that no more fires happen this year. Its been a crazy year with that. Ryan is talking about getting a water truck. It really would make us all feel better. I worry but I think that is the job of a wife. I am just glad that everything turned out okay. We were blessed this time around.

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