So for those of you that have been paying attention to these blogs this wone will not be that great of one. We started tthis tour in the same place we ended that last tour. We were able to leave the buggies there and just pick them up form the airport in Lewistown, ID. So we picked up the buggies and drove back to the Rattlesnake fire. This fire at the time was about 90,000 acres and it was not buring to actively.
When we arrived the first day we were sent to build indirect fire line. This was no easy task. The dirt was very hard and i was second P tool. So it was not the easiest time. Plus it was first day back so my feet and hands were not ready to get to work that quickly ...but what are you gonna do say i need to take a break...Hell NO. So i bit my tongue and got to digging. The saws jump ahead of us and we got to it. We got about .10 of a mile when suddenly we heard on the radio that the crew below us in the drainage, who we were trying to tie into them, was gettin spots over their line. And by the time we had our crew formen check to see if we were in any danger...he started to pull out wityh that crew. So mean while the only lead we have that is with us is our Saw boss...who is on the saw at the time.
So it is hard to explain what happened next but i will try. As soon as we ate lunch we got back at it real quick and immediatley the winds changed and inversion started. Which was really weird because normally normally an inversion only happens in the morning. But because the wind shiffted and the hot air was all getting pushed down...it filled the whole entire sky to a smoke filled mess. It went to sunny to almost dark from smoke. So it is about 2 pm by the time this all happened...but it was looking like 9 pm. i mean we had to get out our headlamps to get out of their. It was one of the eiriest feelings i have had so far. I know most of you if not all of you can not really picture being from midwest but it is like filling you entire living room with very light light smoke and putting on some dark sunglasses.
To get a better feeling of how wierd it was...while we were pulled out and waiting at the buggies we came back to see that our buggies went form a bright yellow to a dull gray collor form the ash that was falling from the sky. It was Weird.
So after we pulled out we had to wait at the buggies for an hour or two before it cleard up enough for us to see again and get back at it. We work for another hour or so and headed back to camp. The second day and the majority of the rest of days were not very exciting or eventful. Second day we had to protect this ranck that was about 8 miles from the fire. Me and 8 other (my squad) had to setup a pump and some sprinklers to cover aobut 5 structures on this ranch. So we got to go to this ranch outside of Dixie ID that was on 240 Acres in this beautiful meadow that was absolutely gorgeous. I mean i would live there in a heartbeat. It took us 45 minutes just to walk there. That is how far off the beaten path it is. That day was not very hard...it was actually pretty easy.
The owners were this elderly couple that have been living their for 5 years...and the man was out working with us the entire day. We dropped snags that could potentially cause the spread of fire if they fell over if fire did arrive there. So far at this time the fire was no where near their ranch.
After that day we went to do the same type of thing but this time as a crew for a little town of about 30 or so people...4 permenant residents...and 5 or so summer homes. We constructed and sprinkler setup for those that wanted one and also gave all of them defensible space. This took about 10 days and by the time we were leaving the fire was still 4 miles from the town of Orogrande and did not look like it was going to hit by the time we go back.
I have been in Reno for the past two days and I will be flying back to the same fore on Thursady...unless things change...which in this buisness happens all the fricken time. I miss all of you and hope to see you for Thanksgiving or something.
E
When we arrived the first day we were sent to build indirect fire line. This was no easy task. The dirt was very hard and i was second P tool. So it was not the easiest time. Plus it was first day back so my feet and hands were not ready to get to work that quickly ...but what are you gonna do say i need to take a break...Hell NO. So i bit my tongue and got to digging. The saws jump ahead of us and we got to it. We got about .10 of a mile when suddenly we heard on the radio that the crew below us in the drainage, who we were trying to tie into them, was gettin spots over their line. And by the time we had our crew formen check to see if we were in any danger...he started to pull out wityh that crew. So mean while the only lead we have that is with us is our Saw boss...who is on the saw at the time.
So it is hard to explain what happened next but i will try. As soon as we ate lunch we got back at it real quick and immediatley the winds changed and inversion started. Which was really weird because normally normally an inversion only happens in the morning. But because the wind shiffted and the hot air was all getting pushed down...it filled the whole entire sky to a smoke filled mess. It went to sunny to almost dark from smoke. So it is about 2 pm by the time this all happened...but it was looking like 9 pm. i mean we had to get out our headlamps to get out of their. It was one of the eiriest feelings i have had so far. I know most of you if not all of you can not really picture being from midwest but it is like filling you entire living room with very light light smoke and putting on some dark sunglasses.
To get a better feeling of how wierd it was...while we were pulled out and waiting at the buggies we came back to see that our buggies went form a bright yellow to a dull gray collor form the ash that was falling from the sky. It was Weird.
So after we pulled out we had to wait at the buggies for an hour or two before it cleard up enough for us to see again and get back at it. We work for another hour or so and headed back to camp. The second day and the majority of the rest of days were not very exciting or eventful. Second day we had to protect this ranck that was about 8 miles from the fire. Me and 8 other (my squad) had to setup a pump and some sprinklers to cover aobut 5 structures on this ranch. So we got to go to this ranch outside of Dixie ID that was on 240 Acres in this beautiful meadow that was absolutely gorgeous. I mean i would live there in a heartbeat. It took us 45 minutes just to walk there. That is how far off the beaten path it is. That day was not very hard...it was actually pretty easy.
The owners were this elderly couple that have been living their for 5 years...and the man was out working with us the entire day. We dropped snags that could potentially cause the spread of fire if they fell over if fire did arrive there. So far at this time the fire was no where near their ranch.
After that day we went to do the same type of thing but this time as a crew for a little town of about 30 or so people...4 permenant residents...and 5 or so summer homes. We constructed and sprinkler setup for those that wanted one and also gave all of them defensible space. This took about 10 days and by the time we were leaving the fire was still 4 miles from the town of Orogrande and did not look like it was going to hit by the time we go back.
I have been in Reno for the past two days and I will be flying back to the same fore on Thursady...unless things change...which in this buisness happens all the fricken time. I miss all of you and hope to see you for Thanksgiving or something.
E
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