New Harmony Fire
As we drove toward Cedar City, Sara and I called our friends in New Harmony at 6 p.m. They said they were fine. The fire was to the south, and the wind was blowing to the east. A town meeting had been called for 7 p.m., to brief the residents on the status of the fire. Everything looked fine, so Sara and I went on to Cedar for dinner. We were sitting outside at 7:30 talking with some friends and a huge smoke cloud passed overhead and thick ash started falling from the sky. The wind had turned north, meaning the fire would move toward New Harmony.
We hightailed it back to New Harmony. Flames 30 to 50 feet high, with bursts of about 80 feet, were cresting over the mountain and heading down into the New Harmony valley. A mandatory evacuation had been issued for the southern part of the town and a voluntary evacuation for the rest. Our friends, in their 80s, were concerned about their neighbors, who were in their 90s. The neighbor used to be a trapper and prize fighter.
My friend introduced me: "He's a legislator. He's the whip in the House."
The trapper shook my hand and asked my friend, "That's good. How is he at fighting fires?"
My friend: "Not worth a damn."
The trapper: "Well, maybe he can help me move the tractor."
We moved the equipment to open areas, grabbed a few things out of both houses (including my friend's medals from when he was a track star at Utah State) and got everyone on the road. Sara and I stayed behind to talk with some of the firefighters, law enforcement officers, and search and rescue members. We also met Rowdy Muir, who is in charge of the incident command for the Blue Springs fire. He and Dean Cox (county emergency response coordinator) invited me to attend the evening briefing in the back of the mobile command unit, as they went over security for the evacuated town, plans for people who might return, and various scenarios to fight the fire. Rowdy figured the fire would sit down for the night. Over a contour map, he then went over different strategies the crews would take, depending on what tomorrow brings.
Civilized society is an amazing thing. I hope I can help my children realize how it all fits together and appreciate how other people graciously and courageously serve us. Speaking of which, I find it interesting that the commenter to the last post who is so grateful for the service of the firefighters (if she is who I am sure she is) is at home with a handful of young children while she enthusiastically allows her husband to serve the world in Iraq.
Speaking of gratitude, I was touched by the caravan of Iron County Sheriffs cars that poured into New Harmony to help with the evacuation. Three cheers for Sheriff Gower and Iron County!
We hightailed it back to New Harmony. Flames 30 to 50 feet high, with bursts of about 80 feet, were cresting over the mountain and heading down into the New Harmony valley. A mandatory evacuation had been issued for the southern part of the town and a voluntary evacuation for the rest. Our friends, in their 80s, were concerned about their neighbors, who were in their 90s. The neighbor used to be a trapper and prize fighter.
My friend introduced me: "He's a legislator. He's the whip in the House."
The trapper shook my hand and asked my friend, "That's good. How is he at fighting fires?"
My friend: "Not worth a damn."
The trapper: "Well, maybe he can help me move the tractor."
We moved the equipment to open areas, grabbed a few things out of both houses (including my friend's medals from when he was a track star at Utah State) and got everyone on the road. Sara and I stayed behind to talk with some of the firefighters, law enforcement officers, and search and rescue members. We also met Rowdy Muir, who is in charge of the incident command for the Blue Springs fire. He and Dean Cox (county emergency response coordinator) invited me to attend the evening briefing in the back of the mobile command unit, as they went over security for the evacuated town, plans for people who might return, and various scenarios to fight the fire. Rowdy figured the fire would sit down for the night. Over a contour map, he then went over different strategies the crews would take, depending on what tomorrow brings.
Civilized society is an amazing thing. I hope I can help my children realize how it all fits together and appreciate how other people graciously and courageously serve us. Speaking of which, I find it interesting that the commenter to the last post who is so grateful for the service of the firefighters (if she is who I am sure she is) is at home with a handful of young children while she enthusiastically allows her husband to serve the world in Iraq.
Speaking of gratitude, I was touched by the caravan of Iron County Sheriffs cars that poured into New Harmony to help with the evacuation. Three cheers for Sheriff Gower and Iron County!
posted by steve u. at 6/27/2005
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1 Comments:
I read your blogs on fires with surprise. Having recently moved to the east coast, I've forgotten the worries of the land that come with living in the West, from drought to fire. There's something tragic and primitive and humbling and charitable about it all. Hope the people are ok.
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