Black Crater is Contained.

Well after a full week, the Black Crater Fire is now officially fully contained.
YAY!
I saw the sky clear a bit yesterday and there was a large portion of the day that was smole free!
It was back this morning, but not as strong as it was the day before.
For now it appears that we can all breathe a collecive sigh of relief and take a moment to be thankful.

Wildland fire fighters come in all sizes and ages and from all walks of life.
There are retirees, there are immigrants from Mexico, and in some extreme cases there are low security prison inmates that come out on a seperate bus and with their onw officers.

No matter who they are, or where they have come from, they are alwasy held in high esteem in our town, for every year there is threat of forest fire. Every year the Highschool and Middle school campuses become a tent city, housing wildland firefighters.

We honour them, and respect them.
The moms and kids bake them cookies.
The kids draw picures and make thank you cards.
Families take their kids to the tent city when the buses roll in with firefighters straight from the lines, so that the children can hand each firefighter a popsicle when he or she gets off the bus.
Sometimes the lady with her portable massage chair shows up to give them a free 10 minute massage and many gladly skip a meal to line up and sit in her chair for 10 rare and glorious minutes.
Towns people bring boxers and visine and socks and toothbrushes and bandanas to the donation table for the fire fighters to recieve new gear.
Wildland fighters walk through town to visit the grocery store, and people honk and wave and applaud them in the grocery aisles.

We love firefighters.
Whether they be structural or wildland fighters.
We hold you all in the highest esteem.
And it is right.


And on a side note:

Blue Max asked the question:
"Sheesh Gal, whaddya do, leave the iron on before leaving for Spokane?"

Good heavens!
Iron?
Who "irons" any more!
No, it was all of those illegal fireworks we had left over from July 4th that we shot off at the big bonfire we had here the night before leaving for Spokane. After the fireworks we all went to bed. I wonder if anybody ever got round to throwing water on the fire?
Hmmmm,,, oh well.

;o)