Fire season opens hot

Moorcroft, Pine Haven and Sundance Volunteer Fire Departments responded to a fast moving grass fire along Strong Lane near Pine Ridge on the south side of the Old Sundance Road at 11:44 a.m, Saturday, June 12.

According to Moorcroft Fire Chief Rusty Williams, a “live” power line was torn down by wind the previous evening and lay smoldering on the dangerously dry ground throughout the night before blazing to life Saturday morning.

Ten units including tenders, command trucks and fire engines with approximately 38 volunteer fire fighters answered the call. The firemen also brought in a dozer from the county and several neighbors in the Pine Ridge area as well as a couple of private construction services in Moorcroft provided back hoes, blades and other heavy equipment to cut a fire line to turn and contain the blaze; as well as a tanker carrying another 8000 gallons of water to fight the blaze.

Upon evaluation of the scenario, Williams called for a voluntary evacuation of homes in the fire’s path, giving people ample time to get out of possible danger.

“We did it because of the heavy timber on Pine Ridge. If the fire would have made it into that timber, we would have definitely needed to evacuate,” he says.

There were 35 structures, many of which were homes, within the immediate danger area. This fire was stopped within 150 yards of the timber land of Pine Ridge.

The combined efforts of these fire fighters and surrounding volunteers had the flames contained in about four hours and, to safeguard homes and lives the Moorcroft department maintained a vigil throughout the night, watchmen ensuring no embers were revived by the breeze.

Williams warns people of the extreme fire risk this summer and fall, saying, “The humidity is awful for this time of year. It’s down where it normally is in late July and August.” He says that this lack of moisture makes the behavior of the blaze more erratic and unpredictable, thus more dangerous.