April 10, 2009-Day 2 of the Wildfires

A couple of years ago, as the fire ate its way through the brush and trees and raced along the dead, drought-plagued grass, gaining momentum with every breath of wind, I was riveted in place watching it. Our property was next in line and there was nothing slowing it down…except the firefighters.

They were stationed at different locations doing their assigned, but dangerous jobs…some fighting the fire directly, busting brush with their trucks and hosing down advancing flames. Some were setting wet lines to start a backfire to stop the spread of the encroaching inferno. Dozers and their operators, provided by the private sector, were cutting fire lines to try to stop the monster’s advancement. Tank trucks called in from the oil field, were standing by to refill the constantly emptying tanks of the brush trucks and engines. Still others were in four wheelers and pick ups racing back and forth trying to keep track of the direction the fire was taking.

All the while, the fire chiefs were keeping track of who and what was dispatched where, what the location was of the fire, the wind direction, the humidity level, and maintaining contact with the State Forest Service, trying to find out when the helicopter would be here as well as constantly communicating with the County Dispatch.

This all comes back to me as I listen to the scanner trying to keep up with the latest round of disastrous fires in our area. Hearing them coordinate plans to set up command centers for the Roberts Ranch Road Fire near Squaw Mountain and the Cement Mountain Fire at Bryson and finding out that the Two Bush fire was still burning near Gibtown… was keeping me riveted in place, again. Another one called in near Newport. Manpower was short. Trucks, dozers, tank trucks all being used in one of the four corners of the county. No outside sources are available to help in addition to our volunteers or even to allow them to get some rest.

Winds were gusting up to 50 MPH; drought conditions prevalent in all of the county and surrounding counties. Fire fuel everywhere and nothing to stop it. Time after time, back fires were set only to hear a little later that the fire had jumped the road, pulling back to the next road or to leave that building burning because we can't stop it, or “we just lost it.”

Dispatch was busy getting officers and Texas DOT personnel to highways 148, 59, and 1191 to close them and turn traffic around because of fire and smoke. She was on the phone calling other fire departments begging for help, toning out our fire departments again and again trying to pull in fresh manpower. She was getting weather reports and keeping up with who checked in and out along with her other duties. She was running interference with those trying to fight the fire, but could not communicate with each other as well as giving messages from other departments or the State Forestry Service to one of the command centers.

Three ambulances were stationed in strategic locations to be available “just in case.”

Firefighters and sheriff’s deputies were trying to evacuate homes in the path of the oncoming blaze. Some didn't want to leave. Buildings were burned, property destroyed.

Then the governor said that fire departments could cross their boundaries to help other counties. Last night Susan said that she saw three groups of these trucks coming in to town. I did not realize what an awesome sight this was until today, Friday, when I saw a bunch more come in. They were from all over the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. It was awesome. I cried. It was just a moving sight, knowing how tired our guys are and how hard they are trying to get these fires under control with so little help. There are volunteer departments sending equipment and personnel, also.

I talked to one firefighter from Wylie. He was parking at the Dairy Queen and I pulled up beside him to let him know that they were feeding the firefighters at the Fair Barn. I told him that Jack County thanked him and his crew. He said that the Dairy Queen was feeding firefighters, too. He also said that he and his crew had been on the line for 32 hours and were beat. They evidently came in from another fire to here. Wow. We must never take our guys for granted!

At least two men, my husband and a good friend of ours were out of the state in their trucks when they learned about the fires. Both turned around as soon as they could and headed back to Jack County. Volunteer fire fighters, each one parked their trucks and went immediately to help in any way they could. The fire chief told me later that he was out of manpower and in dire need of a water truck to go to one of the fires, but he had no driver. The men were all out on the line or getting much needed sleep on a cot in the Community Center. The truck was sitting there full of water and only someone with a CDL could drive it. The Chief had all but given up hope on fresh manpower when he looked up and saw my husband walking in and knew his problem was solved. He had found his driver.
The whole county comes together in times like these. Businesses are donating bottled water and food. People have turned out to donate sandwiches at midnight, then granola bars, Chapstick, and fruit cups as soon as the call went out. Churches are waiting on standby to help stranded victims as they become known. The Clothes Closet is on call. Firemen's wives and families are staffing the donation center at the Fire Hall and delivering stuff to the line. The City has opened up and is staffing Twin Lakes Community Center to take care of tired firefighters and evacuated people. The Prison is cooking food and laundering towels for the firefighters.


This is just the tip of the iceberg. We have not even gotten through this disaster and already the wonderful people of Jack County are stepping up as always. The governor has asked FEMA to declare our county a disaster area. The Red Cross is on it's way here to help. At least one family has been displaced...probably more. They just said (I think in the Roberts Ranch Road fire in N. Jack County) that approximately 16,000 acres had been lost; it had 35-40% containment; and 15-18 homes had been destroyed.

Now, smoke is getting thick over our property, again and makes the fire seem closer. My heart is a little racy because I don’t want to go through that again. But….we all know that God will not give us more than we can handle, so it will be okay and I don't think that the fire it moving north anyway.

Just know that the brave men and women who volunteered for this danger-prone job of fighting fire, as well as the ones who have left their home counties to help us, paid or not, have an eternal place of honor in my heart. Some don’t get paid in dollars for this bone-tiring act of heroism, but surely the reward not only is in heaven awaiting them, but also within their own souls pushing them on and on until exhaustion finally overtakes them.

4/21/2009-Published in Jacksboro Gazette-News as Guest Editorial
2009-Edited by and Published in Firewise News-sent in by Jack County Fire Chief Jim Richardson