June24th

This fire has been crazy.  It started yesterday and we were so close to it and at that point it was so small and had just started, we were on the brink of calling 911. We assumed someone already had and we were right as we watched the volunteer fire fighters speeding into town. It really did look like it could be contained at that point....as of now....it has burned over 10,000 acres so far and is still going.

Today we were at the park and the whole park area in town had become this search and rescue headquarters.  Hunter wanted to go and thank the fire fighters who were sitting at picnic tables taking a break.  He, of course, did not want to go alone so I went with him. And it was a good thing I did.

I started to tell them where our land was and how we had cattle and where they were. I asked if there was someway we could get more information about what they were observing, which direction they could see the fire going as they were up there where the rest of us could not go, etc. Once they realized where I was talking about, they all started talking and saying how they thought that road (the one to the ranch house) was already closed and I would have to talk to some other guy to see if it was even possible to get in and get the animals out!!

Come to find out was that they were telling me that they had already closed the road to the ranch house and we were not going to be able to get the horses and dogs.  I am like wide-eyed and freaking out and begging saying we have the trailer right there, we had moved all the farm equipment yesterday - we just need 15 minutes.  So, we go to the trailer, the official place, and are waiting to talk to the sheriff.  The sheriff comes out after this deputy told him my situation and he looks at me, and I am looking at him with tears and saying we will be in and out super fast, just gotta get in, get the animals, get out- and he says - while giving a slow nod, "Well, alright.....(and looks at me dead seriously) but you get in there and get what you need and then you get outta there."

The kids and I go tearing outta there.  I am hauling ass in the truck outta town to find Scott, who is not answering his phone because he is simultaneously coming down the road on a 4 wheeler.  He finally answers, I swing in to the shop area and we get the trailer hooked up and head over to load up the horses.  We get the horses loaded and get the dogs in the truck. 

So my Scott and Farmer Scott have to still go push the cattle down from where they were to get them into a smaller pasture farther away from the fire.  Scott tells me he should be about 30 minutes and I should just wait there in the truck and we will all head out together.  

As we are sitting there, there is just smoke billowing what looks like right over the mountain next to where we are.  I am kinda getting panicked thinking about those guys up there, the cattle not cooperating and this whole thing being a big mess.  I said to myself, "I am not leaving here without Scott!!" But was really starting to feel unsafe. And not to mention that the kids are scared as they are also watching the smoke coming our way.

It is starting to just get too close for comfort and I am thinking we are just going to have to haul ass outta there, the cattle will have to save themselves and the two Scott's are going to come flying down Water Hollow Road with there shirt tails on fire.  So, I start to load up the tack & throw the saddles in the back of the truck.  Good thing I have driven with my sister with her horse trainer because I was not too intimidated.  Even so, we were pulling out and just going to get out onto the dirt road so if we needed to we could jet outta there.

I see all the cattle coming down the road and get outta the truck and start running a quarter mile back up the road to help.  All the cattle get into the lower pasture and we start moving the horses into town.

We are just sitting here watching the flames, which in the paper said there were about 100 feet in some places and those places are only about 10-15 miles from us.  The wind just shifts it and the fire just turns.  It was stated in the paper that the fire was climbing up the mountain

and the wind was blowing it down.  And there is not just one fire.  They are all over.  Every once in awhile we can see this terrible black some from someones little cabin or trailer up there.  

Scott slept upstairs last night to get up every few hours to see where it was moving.  The sky was just aglow with all the fires last night and it was really scary and rather creepy.  The kids were freaked out both yesterday and today.  Katie said she wished she was never born (such a "I am going to be 9 soon" thing to say") and Hunter was in a panic about needing to have Scott with us.  I actually had to get him into the front seat and hold him to calm him down and reassure him everything was going to be fine and we are just getting prepared “just in case”.

I really could not freak out myself, although there was one point where I thought I might start crying because it was all very intense.  But I was good. I even got out of the car when I called Scott and was telling him what I could see from the cabin at that point was looking really terrible for us.  

Ben just sat there and ate all his tic tacs!  

This area has had no measurable rain in the last 2 months and it is dry here anyway. When this thing started, it just went.

We just looked at weather for tomorrow.....40 mile an hour winds.  Not good. Last night it looked rather contained.  We could see fire lines and it looked like it was getting under control.  And then morning rolled around and the wind starts blowing and it is out of control again.  just read in the paper that the fire was 4% contained.  The wind is pretty minimal now, but does not sound like tomorrow will be favorable.

This afternoon the whole city turned into a circus.  People are pulled over on the road taking pictures.  The park is now pretty much taken over by all these fire fighters, DNR guys, the Power Co, etc.  The media was everywhere and were interviewing people.  Stores that were normally closed on Sunday were open serving food.  Helicopters are flying over the fire dropping water.  There were also about 4-5 other planes flying over dumping fire retardant over certain areas.

It's like being in a bizarre and crazy Steven King novel. 

I am not sure what else I can say except I guess we will have to wait and see.