We feel like regular wise guys

[Soapweed]

because we just came from afar. :wink: Something shorted out on an electric power line going up over a range of hills this afternoon, causing a nasty grass fire. It probably burned about half a section of grass before responding volunteer firemen and ranch spray rigs got it under control. It was another very hot day, with about a 25 mph wind, so the fire burned fast and furious for awhile. It was on the Arthur Bowring Sandhills Ranch and State Historical Park, owned by the Nebraska Game and Parks. A local rancher leases the grass for his cows, so he was the real loser in the deal.

Hard to breathe

Saddletramp spraying the burning grass

Smokey scene

Saddletramp spraying and Sam, a neighbor, helping to carry along the hose

Soapweeds on fire

Burning grass

Saddletramp and Sam working hard, while I drive the truck

Saddletramp in action

Sam keeping the hoses straight

Soaking down glowing cow chips

Preventing one soapweed from catching on fire, while another burns profusely

Mopping up the hot spots

Our local volunteer fire departments are worth their weight in gold

 

[Angus Cattle Shower]

Too many fires lately-at least this one diddnt get out of control like some of the others...

 

[Faster horses]

Too bad about that fire, Soapweed. Usually your pictures are more serene than those.

That's a bummer for the guy leasing the pasture.
I hope you don't get any more, or if you do, they are very small.

There were two fires around here from the lightening storm from last
night. The fire crews were right on top of things and one only burned
a couple of acres, the other I heard 200, but then I heard 80. So between 80 and 200...

 

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

Hate to hear about all the fires, and the hardships it will put on folks, but people like ya'll make it a lil easier to take I'm sure, to know that you'll be there if needed. Good job guys!!!!!

 

[ranchwife]

heart-breaking to see all that good grass go up in smoke...especially for the man leasing it for his cattle!! Thank goodness help was there before it got worse!!!

 

[cowsense]

Soapweed; Perhaps you could post a picture and description of your firefighting rig you pack...........always nice to get some ideas from different areas. We're gonna have to be on the watch from now on; we were fortunate enough to have great grass growth but the recent heat has turned the native cool season grasses brown and we have a lot of fuel if a fire gets going.

 

[Mike]

Hey Soap! Was the A/C working pretty good in that truck? :lol: :lol:

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Looks like Saddle tramp might have got his shirt dirty today. :wink:
I mounted our tank and pump on the trailer today and got it filled. Probably should have already been done but we are ready now. Hope I don't have to use it. Good luck to all out fighting those fires we are thinking about you.

 

[Soapweed]

Hey Soap! Was the A/C working pretty good in that truck? :lol: :lol:

It didn't work at all. Even on the way to the fire, we had the windows down and the little side windows open and pointing inward. The side of that black pickup was actually hot enough when we were along the fire, that it was almost too hot to touch.

 

[Soapweed]

Soapweed; Perhaps you could post a picture and description of your firefighting rig you pack...........always nice to get some ideas from different areas. We're gonna have to be on the watch from now on; we were fortunate enough to have great grass growth but the recent heat has turned the native cool season grasses brown and we have a lot of fuel if a fire gets going.

This is the outfit that Saddletramp and I were fighting fire with. It is a 1990 Ford F250 4x4. The tanks is plastic and holds 200 gallon. The pump is run by a Honda 5.0 hp engine, and pumps ten gallon per minute.

We have another fire-fighting rig on its own trailer, and it is fairly easy to pull around. I bought it a few years ago from Warne Chemical, out of Rapid City. This rig also has a 200 gallon tank with a 5 hp Honda engine, and it also pumps ten gallon per minute. The handiness of it is that it can be hooked immediately to any pickup. Peach Blossom and the Kosmo Kid brought this outfit along just a few minutes after Saddletramp and I headed out with the first one. They pulled the trailer with a 1995 Ford F250 4x4. They also had a sump pump in the back of their pickup, so if a tanker truck is not available for refill, any water tank or pond can be used.

Saddltramp and I used almost a full 200 gallons, and Peach Blossom and the Kid emptied about 2/3 of their tank. Enough fire fighters showed up fast enough, that it got put out in fairly short order. Another thing in our favor was that this fire was only a mile or two away from town, and near good roads. It was also in fairly gentle hills where vehicles could get around.

I need to get pictures of the trailer rig, but last night we left it in town to get some work done on it today. A major brace holding the water tank in position is bent, so needs more support.

On the subject of pickups, I have a 2005 Dodge regular cab 3/4 ton 4x4 that I usually use to haul salt and mineral. It will not get around through the hills nearly as well as the two previous mentioned older Fords. The Dodge gets to bouncing in the dry sand, and sometimes will pop out of gear. There are times I wonder if I'll end up walking home. My only ace in the hole is that I could probably let out about half of the air in the tires and maybe get out of a bad spot. I hate to do this, though, as I usually start out with a ton and a half of salt and mineral when making the rounds.

 

[HAY MAKER]

Good job on the fire fightin soapweed,maybe yall will get some rain now its amazing how fast the grass will bounce back.
Im watchin this Tx hill country close for fires as a matter of fact everybody around here is,these canyons are full of brush and cedar and just about impossible to get to,try to stay ahead of them and fight em on the ridges,if they get past you and down into another canyon almost gotta wait till they get back up on another ridge to try and stop it..........good luck
PS Becareful.

 

[Turkey Track Bar]

Soapweed and Saddletramp...

Sorry to see you guys are having to "play with fire" too. Looks like you did a great job of getting your fire out! Our most recent has been a bugger, but maybe today we'll win.

Take care and stay safe...

TTB :wink: