Twenty plus years ago it became law for spark inhibitors on all locomotive engines. Well, duh, today one failed resulting in hundreds of acres of grass fires. So, thank you very much BNSF for making our afternoon ever so exciting!
We had just come in from the back deck, still encased in plastic for winter months -- so "had not" a clue what was going on when we hear the Pleasant Dale "fire siren". Our immediate thoughts are medical emergency or state high school basketball traffic on I-80. But, alas, it was not to be ... it was a grass fire ... right outside our kitchen window! Well, not RIGHT outside ... but across the pasture and along the railroad tracks. Heavy dense smoke ... and it was stretching from Hwy 103 west ... or so we thought.
We're out on front deck when Larry calls 911 to report and is told by operator that three communities are already en route. We then see heavier, darker, denser smoke along eastern horizon and he reports that we are in a different location directly south of Pleasant Dale and that flames are visible along ridge.
So, we wait ... and wait ... and wait (well, it felt like "forever" anyway). We can see that the small home on the corner of Hwy. 103 and Van Dorn Road is being encroached by flames. Traffic has slowed down and I am sure several have dialed 911 to report what they are seeing ... help does arrive and stay on site to ensure fires are out and home/property is safe.
Neighbor to the west of us (Bud and Jan) are out in their Bobcat and working their fence line which butts the railroad track. He's operating the Bobcat creating a firewall ... she's walking the fire line with her trusty shovel turning dirt onto small fires. At one point they give up as wind has picked up and abort leaving Bobcat in path.
An employee of the co-op is on look-out as there are tanks of ammonia and propane on site ... we don't need fireworks in March ... thank you very much!
Larry and I just sit on the tailgate of pick up taking in all of the action with cell phones in hand ... just in case the authorities need to be alerted of impending dangers!
Firetrucks are coming back into town refilling with water-- Milford, Crete, Southwest Rural and Pleasant Dale. Fires seem to be under control. There is so much dry brush and pasture, and dead trees this time of year just add very high winds ...
With all of the excitement "dying" down we head to Crete for pizza. Coming home we take a short drive and it looks like the fire spread from a little west of our place to about 1.5 mile west of Emerald. Hundreds of acres of farm ground have been impacted. We did see where flames jumped roads ... what an eerie unsettling feeling.
The wind has died down ... all we need now is a little rain shower ... I am hearing the train traffic picking back up ... hope these engines aren't faulty ... we've had to much excitement for one day!
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