Well, we had quite a day here.. the story of what happened is at the bottom of this posting. This picture is of the firemen spraying a fire retardant on some smoldering leaves just behind our house.
5 trucks from 2 companies arrived.. this one pulled just behind our house.
This one was beside the house
And a 3rd one beside the house too.
You can see the side of our house here .. too close for anyone's comfort!
I didn't have time to grab a camera while the blaze was getting started, but this is the smokey aftermath ..Our neighbor's barn can be almost seen on the far left of the picture
It was just after 12 when Wendell went in to lie down for his nap. I took 2 small bags of papers out to burn in the burn barrel, and instead of standing with it as is my habit, I went back to the house to call my patients for Thursday's appointments. I had second thoughts, and decided to check the burn barrel out the back kitchen window. When I looked out, there was a lot of smoke- more than would come from 2 tiny bags of waste paper. I realized I'd have to put out a fire there, and then looked one more time...... it looked more extensive than first glance. I screamed for Wendell "I set the woods on fire!!!". And then I ran out the door and to the back of the house to the garden hose. Quickly I turned it on and realized in my haste, I couldn't find the end of it! Then there was no nozzle- I didn't have time to look for it, so I put my thumb over the end and started spraying the closest fires. I looked up and saw trees way back in the woods ablaze.. really burning hard. I screamed back to Wendell to "Call 911".. this is too much for a garden hose!.. He did, and 10 minutes later, the first of 5 trucks came in the driveway and back along side the woods. Problem was, there was not just one large fire, but hundreds of small ones with several large ones. I put out as much fire as I was able, and then left it to the wonderful Penn Twp and Middlesex Volunteer firemen. How I thank them for being there.
I prayed while I was alone in the woods with my measly garden hose.. and then when it was over, I thanked the Lord again for preserving homes and people. No damage to houses, nobody hurt at all. Thank the Lord for his mercy!
3 comments:
You definitly have the most interesting blog!
I am thanking God with you that no one and no property was damaged outside the woods. It could so easily have been much worse. God is good!
I have to say that there were not hundreds of little fires.. it just looked like it. There were actually probably 40-50 small fires going on all at the same time. I saw big trees in the back of our property with flames shooting up the sides pretty high. Most of the trees that burned were dead wood. The ground cover of leaves is all charred now, and the underbrush is gone, but there are many trees still standing, and these have been singed at the base, but will live to see another day.
Mandy, JJ, and Keith all took a look and said it doesn't look as bad as they imagined.
I felt so terrified at that moment of truth when I realized my garden hose just wasn't gonna put this baby out.. we needed the big hoses!
I spent so much adrenalin trying to keep it back from the house, I am now totally exhausted.
But, again I praise the Lord for his mercy in protecting homes and barns and creatures in the woods.
We have survived what could have been a major catastrophe, but have come through it with praise to God for taking care of us.
Good and Quick thinking Mom! I am sure it is no cooincidence that made you look out to "just check". Nobody or anything was hurt...that is the most important thing. Ill bet with all the excitement you could sleep for a week!
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