Ruth knew there was a burn ban. The ban was until 6 p.m. and it was almost dark. She thought she could burn the trash. The fire had gotten away from her. She and Sam were using blankets to try to beat down the flames.
The small volunteer fire department was on its way. Sam had called them before he ran out to help her. The fire was heading toward the forest behind their house. There were homes back there. Families, children, wildlife.
“Sam, I don’t hear any sirens yet,” Ruth screamed.
”You know they’re all ten or more miles away. We have to keep it at bay until they can get here,” Sam replied over the increasing roar of the fire.
Ruth and Sam were both members of the fire department. They couldn’t leave the blaze long enough to get their fire-fighting equipment. Ruth knew they could stop the fire on the ground with their equipment, but she had just seen it jump to the top of a tree.
The volunteers started pulling in the driveway, putting on their gear as they jumped out of their cars. Someone got the pair’s gear out of the house.
The fire was roaring through the underbrush, advancing fast.
“We have to build a berm to try to stop this,” Sam said.
”It’s too hot. You can’t get in there,” someone screamed at him.
Sam grabbed a shovel and went in. Just as he did, the fire took on new life and overtook him.
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Photo attributed to K. S. Brooks
The Write Scribe 