I've lived in the house I'm in going on 12 years and never ever have we had wild fires break out in the woods behind our house. Yesterday for the first time, one did. The Fire Dept. responded rather quickly and spent a couple hours up in the woods dealing with the outbreaks. Well today much to my shock and surprise, the spots must have flared back up and made their way down the hill in my back yard. My oldest came running down to tell me the flames were on our hill, I opened the back door and just yards from me at the base of our hill (which sits about 4 feet above our grass and supported by a railroad tie wall) were flames....a trail of them. The Fire Dept. was already pulling up by this time, so I ran out the front to tell them we had flames in our yard.
They came in quick and spent about 2 hours dousing the hill with water and looking for more possible hot spots. And then after that brought in a bulldozer to put a break in between us and the woods. After talking to one of the fire fighters, he said the fire was almost definitely deliberate. Probably some kids from the school smoking in the woods. And with us being under a "Red Flag" warning he said the conditions were ideal. Then he said that fire is a living thing and there was plenty of dry leaves, pine needles and fallen trees and branches for it to feed on.
For some reason, his 'fire is a living thing' comment just struck me with wonderment. I never thought of it that way. But it struck a cord in me somehow.
I don't know what pisses me off more though, the fact that some kids were careless and started this all. ...OR The fact that when I called "HIM" today and told "HIM" what was going on, "HE" said "HE'D" be home soon as possible, that was 3 hours ago AND "HE'S" STILL NOT HOME!
What if it was worse? What if it spread faster than they could contain it today? What if the girls and I were in danger or had to evacuate? I don't understand how "HE" can just not give a shit.
But thank the Goddess we didn't have to leave and we're still safe. I'm still worried though, that it might flare up again, that it might jump the break, that the hill itself might flare up. I can still smell the smoke. The fireman said I would for the next couple days at least.
It also occurred to me, that I don't know what I'd grab if I had to leave like that quick. I don't have a plan. Maybe it's time to make one.
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