A Not So Beautiful Day In My Neighborhood

I had to work dayshift today to make deliveries and there were remarkably very few so I wound up walking around bs'ing with the cashiers. I was chatting with one of them when I heard something on the scanner one of my department managers was wearing about a fire north of Chico on 101.

Hmm, I live on 101 north of Chico. I asked him where it was and he said he did'nt know, but it was big because they called in help from 2 other fire departments. The winds were gusting 20-35mph. I decicded it was time to go to lunch!

I work about 15 miles from home. I could see the smoke from work. I hauled ass towards the house. On the way I called my phone to see if the answering machine would pick up. It went straight to voice mail. I floored it.

As I got closer there was no doubt it was on my place. It was like driving in a fog bank heading up my driveway. The first thing I saw was 3 firetrucks around my house and roaring flames in the woods that surround it. Luckily, the house was still standing. I ran to the well house and turned on the 150 ft hose. It was burned into about 5 feet from the wellhouse. I ran and grabbed 2 5 gallon gas cans and started filling them with water. I noticed a guy standing around taking pictures but I did'nt have time to jack with him. As I was filling the cans a second time he walked over and took one to help fight the fire. He later introduced himself (I already forgot his name) and said he was from The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. You will probably see me in there tomorrow.

I called my Brother-In-Law and asked him to bring me all the hoses he had. He showed up with 100ft and we started working thru the trees putting out hotspots. 4 1/2 hours later the fire was out.

All the underpinning was melted away. My phone lines were crispy. My antenna pole bent over from the heat. My DirecTv coax was fried. 5 windows along the back of the house cracked from the flames. My brushhog was burnt to a crisp. My air compressor is toast. My air conditioner is cooked. But not 1 scorch, burn or bubbled paint on the house it's self that I can see. About 100 acres of my place went up and around 50 more on the place next to mine. The fire started when my neighbor to the south left a live wire hanging from a broken light socket. I hope he's got GREAT insurance!

A huge tip of my hat to the Chico Community Volunteer Fire Department, Crafton Volunteer Fire Department and all the other departments that responded along with all the county public works crews that showed up to cut firebreaks.

I owe ya'll more than I can ever repay you!

(And I promise never to make fun of Stephanie Lucero ever again!!!)

[edit] if you look at the aerial video on the Star-Telegram website (Reign of Fire), my driveway is the serpentine gravel road they keep showing firetrucks speeding up and down. Almost all of the fire they show is on my property.[/edit]