The Fire

So I don't have any of my own photos, but I stole my moms!  The straw stack behind Lisa's home out on the farm was set on fire last night around 3:30 am.  We were one of six attacks on straw stacks to be hit last night.  I don't know if everything that was lit on fire was straw, but my mom seemed to think it was, and not hay or property.
Around 3 am, firetrucks went north of our house to put out a fire a neighboring farmer. Ab out a mile north of us.  When they past our home, we weren't' on fire yet, within the hour though a policewoman saw the fire, sent in a dispatch, and pounded on Lisa and Lee's house waking everyone up.

Firetrucks arrived at our home around 4:00 am.  (My mom suspects they came straight from the neighbors.)  One fireman did say some of them came from the station near the airport.  My mom left the scene at 6:45 and they were still going.  It's now near to 10 am, and everyone is gone and the smoke lingers.  There are some smoldering fires. But they aren't threatening. 

I have done up a little art work for this.  They YELLOW is our straw stack, and you can see the four green blocks indicating the 50 ton of hay too.  All that yellow and those 4 green blocks are gone.  My dad and cousin Jake, seem to think there were about 75 one ton bales of straw.  Yes, 75 tons.  There was also 50 ton of hay.  For us it was half and half.  It was large enough fire that the tree closest to the straw is also a gonner, though it might make it.  trees are interesting that way.  You can see how it could have easily drifted and taken out the  rest of the hay (green) leading to the shed or the fencing where the cows are...  Or it could have caught the trees and traveled closer to the house. 

Brad Pettingill, who is our friend, in the bishopric with Kyle, and fireman was on the scene as they spent a few hours trying to contain and eliminate the threatening fire.  My mom said it was so hot, you couldn't stand close enough to feel the fire's warmth, as it was just too hot.  Melt-your-leather-boots hot.

The news is covering the stories HERE and HERE.

More of this to come, as they unravel the mess.  I do know they have someone in custody, and we don't know he is the one who did it or not, but I doubt we will ever see retribution in regards the the loss of straw.

Let me quickly mention that STRAW is the remnants of WHEAT after harvest.  It is literally the straw like sticks left after the kernels at the top are removed.  It is then cut down and baled, used for bedding animals, mostly.  It is not food, but a starving cow will nibble on it.

HAY, also know as alfalfa, is a green leafy plant that is cut down and baled in the same manner, for feed.  The cost difference between a bale of straw and a bale of hay is significant, though I couldn't tell you right now what to expect the cost to be.

I just feel my heart aching for my dad.  And for all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and beloved animals out at the farm.  It truly could have been worse.  I feel very grateful that the Lord saw to it that no one was harmed, and I am grateful for good men like Brad who go to the rescue.

Okay, I think I got most of the story.

 

 

Thanks, Brad and crew! 
This is the second time Brad has come to the rescue out on the farm.

  He is the one on the right.

 

 

I wasn't emotional about it until I saw this photo and the others, and had to see my
Grandpa, Uncle Lee and Dad, and other watching, helpless as the fire burned.

 

 

My mom went back now that the sun is up and got some daylight shots.

   

What a mess.