The Day We Saved the Forest

My first ATV ride to Sally's Overlook.

Previously I'd decided I wouldn't go back. I never sleep the night after, 

always dreaming someone is falling off the cliff. 

But, I trust myself and Courtney to stay far from the edge and the ride turned out to be really fun.

We even took a few detours around new paths. 

Can't wait to explore again when we have more time.

But the boys were waiting for us to get back so they could use the ATVs.

On the way back, I saw a lot of smoke at a campsite and thought it seemed odd to be cooking lunch on such a hot day. But didn't think anything more about it.

However, at the bottom of the hill, Courtney stopped me concerned.

"Shouldn't we go back and make sure someone's there?"

I agreed.

And sure enough, the owners were gone and a huge log was smoking. Half was in the firepit, half was out.

Kindling was scattered everywhere and I have no doubt if Courtney wouldn't have been prompted to go back, the entire site would have caught fire.

A few minutes after we arrived, flames started on the log.

We had only a half water bottle to dump and found two dog bowls we filled with dirt, trying to suffocate the flames and smoke. But the log and coals were too hot and more flames starting.

We were worried about moving the log and giving oxygen to the flames, but we had to get it in the pit.

I decided to ride to the store to get help, a shovel and/or water. I was worried about leaving Courtney, 

and she was worried if I could drive the ATV fast confidently.

On the way, I saw some picnickers who had a gallon of water and asked if they'd go help Courtney.

They immediately agreed.

Meanwhile the log was really on fire, it was too big for the firepit and Courtney was really nervous.

She tried to gather rocks to make the pit bigger and started to panic, praying, of course, and 

even calling for help.

Soon the picnicker arrived and helped get it contained.

One of the many tender mercies.

At the store, Melinda called the forest service and I got a shovel and five gallon bucket of water from John. He wasn't worried and said the fire danger was pretty low. 

The thing is, he didn't see what we saw. An enormous log on fire outside of a fire pit. 

I mean sure, we could have sat there all day waiting for the log to burn down and the coals to cool off, 

and maybe there wouldn't have been an emergency. 

But had we not have stopped, that log would have ignited the whole surrounding area. 

After a trip to Williams Creek for a second bucket of water, 

we finally got water on the last of the hot spots and that's when the family arrived back.

They were pretty wary of us in their campsite drowning their firepit.

And we were pretty wary of their two giant German Shepherds aggresively barking in the car.

Only the dad spoke saying he'd put the fire out before they left.

I told him it started up again and then kept talking and talking about the hot day, the hot coals etc.

And even apologized for drowning their firepit!

I'm so mad at myself that I didn't just stay quiet and let him feel the heaviness of the situation.

Oh well.

See how charred the log is vs. the first pic when we first came upon it?

Back at home the boys were playing SkipBo and were not impressed that Courtney was a hero.

I mean, I understand getting caught up in SkipBo, but it wasn't quite the hero's welcome we expected.

Come to find out Melinda was laughing about us up at the store when the boys stopped later that afternoon. The forest rangers couldn't find the place we'd described (which really didn't matter now that the owners were back). But suffice to say the words of Joseph Smith have continued playing through my mind: "We had stopped a forest fire. I knew it, and I knew that Courtney knew it (and the picnicker! Thank goodness for him!), and we would not deny it."

We know that we're heroes.