Originally posted by Jmh05
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We had a fire on our ranch and our neighbors today. Grape Creek, Carlsbad and Water Valley responded. We are very much in debt to them. Luckily there was only about 15ac by best estimate. We think it started by a lightening strike from last night.
I was driving in from Ft. Stockton, I worked a 24hr ER shift there last night. Before Barnhart I stopped to help a deer stuck in a fence, which I got him out. He was worn out, but no fracture or dislocation on my exam. I called the Crockett co. Game warden and he was going to check on the young deer and monitor him. This delayed me home by about 30mins. As I am coming in the back way from Mertzon to our ranch I see a huge plume of gray/white smoke or dust. I thought it was maybe the caliche pit on our ranch detonating but then I saw flame. I got within sight of the flare up exactly when it started because I had stopped to pull that deer out of the fence, thank goodness.
I sped up and drove through the pit trying to call for help and find somebody to confirm fire versus rock detonation and call the fire department. Somehow my wife and FIL had seen a small puff of smoke and he scrambled the plane. It wasn't but less than 10mins Carlsbad VFD had arrived and we started moving in.
I didn't get but an hour or two of sleep in the middle of the night during my shift, so 40hrs later, I'm getting a ranch water and a cold beer and hopefully going to bed. Pics to follow.
PS This was the second fire of the day, there was one earlier on our neighbors/cousins place on our north side. All under 20ac each with minimal spread.
And if you think I look like **** in that pic, you should see me now!
I was driving in from Ft. Stockton, I worked a 24hr ER shift there last night. Before Barnhart I stopped to help a deer stuck in a fence, which I got him out. He was worn out, but no fracture or dislocation on my exam. I called the Crockett co. Game warden and he was going to check on the young deer and monitor him. This delayed me home by about 30mins. As I am coming in the back way from Mertzon to our ranch I see a huge plume of gray/white smoke or dust. I thought it was maybe the caliche pit on our ranch detonating but then I saw flame. I got within sight of the flare up exactly when it started because I had stopped to pull that deer out of the fence, thank goodness.
I sped up and drove through the pit trying to call for help and find somebody to confirm fire versus rock detonation and call the fire department. Somehow my wife and FIL had seen a small puff of smoke and he scrambled the plane. It wasn't but less than 10mins Carlsbad VFD had arrived and we started moving in.
I didn't get but an hour or two of sleep in the middle of the night during my shift, so 40hrs later, I'm getting a ranch water and a cold beer and hopefully going to bed. Pics to follow.
PS This was the second fire of the day, there was one earlier on our neighbors/cousins place on our north side. All under 20ac each with minimal spread.
And if you think I look like **** in that pic, you should see me now!
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