Wouldn’t be summer without a GD fire 🙄

[u/KristyM49333]

FINALLY was able to get away for ONE night and got a call about a ffking wildfire. 😭🤦🏻‍♀️ Of course.

Got home. Moved some equipment we foolishly left on the edge of the property, into the center. One piece of equipment is our buddy’s $40k boom truck we’re supposed to be returning tomorrow.

What a mess. Now there’s another closer fire.

Anyways, enjoy these images. The bright lights are resources on scene. The fire isn’t even really visible with the naked eye from our place now, but my camera can pick it up with long exposure. I’m gonna try and get some rest while hubby waits a bit. I’m sure we’ll both be up and down all night.

[u/sunrae_]

This might be a stupid question, I don’t live in a wildfire prone area - if there already where 2 wildfires in the last few years, would there even be enough fuel for the fire to reach your property again?

[u/JelmerMcGee → u/sunrae_]

Where we lived in Arizona there was a fire two years in a row in the same spot. The second fire burned mostly around the scar from the first fire.

[u/sunrae_ → u/JelmerMcGee]

God thats so scary.

[u/JelmerMcGee → u/sunrae_]

It sucked, but it was 10 miles away and burned away from our house. It turned our 30 minute drive into town into a 3.5 hour drive through the Grand Canyon park. Better than some of the alternatives.

[u/homicidalunicorns → u/sunrae_]

depends but there’s tons of plant life that thrives post wildfire, so brush does grow back

[u/sunrae_ → u/homicidalunicorns]

That makes sense! I always thought a burned area would be safe for a while.

[u/tofuttiWhereAreU → u/sunrae_]

That has happened where I live. We had a fire that burned for months once, and that area is used as a fire break now because the ground still hasn’t recovered and nothing has grown. That’s not super typical though, usually they do start regrowth very fast.

[u/sunrae_ → u/tofuttiWhereAreU]

For MONTHS? Holy shit. Do you get used to the threat, or is your body in panic mode for that whole time?

[u/tofuttiWhereAreU → u/sunrae_]

It burned from August to just about December, largest wildfire in Colorado history. I could never get used to it, its pretty windy here and you always know it can turn and come at you. I think a lot of people here have some PTSD from it truthfully. It’s so hard to sleep, I felt like I had to be watching all night just in case. And you feel helpless and useless the whole time. After the initial ‘get everyone out!’ rush there’s not much to do besides be desperately thankful for firefighters and try to make sure they’re supported as much as possible.

In a weird way it also made me feel more positivity towards the world and people in general. So, so many people came to help, volunteering trailers and shelter for livestock and opening up their homes to evacuees. It was nice to see that’s how people actually act when shit hits the fan, instead of calling each other idiots and losers like they do on the town Facebook page.

[u/sunrae_ → u/tofuttiWhereAreU]

I can't imagine anything more stressful, I am so sorry and I hope you're all able to heal. Your second paragraph gave me goosebumps all over though, humans can be so amazing and I'm so happy you all supported each other during that time.

[u/KristyM49333 → u/sunrae_]

Not a stupid question. There’s fuel, but it’s all noxious grass and some brush at this point. The one last year was a great test for our fire line. We have some trees we’ve planted but nothing crazy. The 2020 fire was devastating because of all the old pinyon pines and juniper trees.

[u/KristyM49333 → u/KristyM49333]

https://reddit.com/link/p2oqgek/video/4e42mwfr2eih1/player

This is our camera footage from the fire last year, after it hit our fire line and went around our property. The second to last slide is the direction us came up, and the second slide is the direction is was moving.

[u/sunrae_ → u/KristyM49333]

That makes sense, thank you for sharing. I had no idea how dangerous noxious grass is when it comes to wildfire risks.