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Teller County Fire Drama June 22, 2008

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Contributed by: donna hatton on 6/23/2008

Teller County Fire Drama
by Donna Hatton

Saturday was a typical summer's day with Colorado blue skies and puffy white clouds, but by the next day the hills overlooking the Hatton Ranch were hazy and there was the smell of smoke. It was shortly after noon Sunday that we saw the tree tops suddenly exploding into flame above the sub-developement to the south and east of our property line.

Our son Tom, a volunteer fireman with the Four Mile Fire District, was helping us move cattle. In the next few minutes he told us goodbye and left us to go on the fire call with the Four Mile crew to fight the fire that was rapidly moving over the hills just south and east of us.

We stayed in the meadow watching as the fire moved aross the ridge. A helicopter dropped bucket after bucket of water and a forestry plane dropped slurry as the firefighters climbed steep and rugged mountain slopes, thick with pine trees while dragging 1,200 feet of hose 1/ and 1/2inch diameter. It was hot and the wind caused the fire to change directions pushing it first to the south and then back to the north and then over the ridge to the east. As evening approached, neighbors and passers-by stopped along Teller County 11, visiting and watching and praying for rain from the cloudy skies that would help the fire to be brought under control.

After hours of hot and dangerous work the volunteers from Four Mile, crews from other counties, the pilots of the heliocopers and planes were able to go home, smelling of smoke, black from ash, dirty, sweaty and tired, they had won this day, but they wait for their next call as their families breathe a sigh of relief for their safe return.

PS. Our son called at 11 p.m. to say he was home and the fire was controlled.

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donna hatton

woodland park , CO

donna hatton has posted 15 stories and 0 comments since joining on 2/11/2008. donna hatton 's average story rating is 5.

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