Harding Fire Out!!

[SierraCook]

Hi, everyone. After a very busy and hectic week the Harding Fire is out. I will be still working on the fire tomorrow. I am happy to say that we stopped the fire at about 2,200 acres and no structures were lost. At one point over 1,300 personnel were working on the fire and in fire camp. I started working on the fire at the ranger station at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, August 24th. Then we moved to the fire camp at our local rodeo grounds. We will still have a couple of hundred personnel on the fire until at least Friday to continue mop-up and rehabiliation. I have attached some pictures of the fire.

I would like to applaud the men and women of the USDA Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and other participating agencies for their efforts in stopping the Harding Fire.

 

[Maidrite]

AND TO YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE

 

[SierraCook]

Thanks, maidrite, you are making me blush. As my brother says "It ain't no big thing". We are just doing are jobs. But I appreciate the compliment nonetheless.

 

[PA Baker]

Awesome job to you and your coworkers, sierra! I'm glad you made it through safely!

 

[pdswife]

You all deserve a big pat on the back! Heres to a job well done!!

 

[Andy M.]

Kudos to you for your work and great photos.

 

[callie]

Good job, SC and crew!! Great pics, too. Thanks!

 

[middie]

glad to see you're safe sierra. you need some karma !

 

[Dove]

S/C Karma is on the way...I was worried that is the reason I called you. I knew you had your hands full. Thanks for letting us know.

Marge

 

[kadesma]

Sc, great pictures, but, at the smae time scary..I gladly applaud all those who took charge and put that fire to rest. But, because I know you, I want to offer a special thank you to you for the great job you do...Just think of the beauty that would be lost without you...{{{{hugs}}}}

kadesma

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Thank you Sierra for your service in fighting the fire. I havent heard about it until now. But, its dangerous and for the benefit of all. Especially the ones that live in and around that area. And for that I really want to give ya a BIG hug!

(((((((((((((((((((SIERRA)))))))))))))))))))

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Fireman. When I was a child, I had heroes like Superman and Batman. I emulated them because they did things for others, without thought of personal reward. They did the right thing because it was right, and for no other reason.

As an adult, before that really, I realized that Superman is the ideal, the impossible. I changed my heroes. My stepfather was a hero. He was an honestly good man, an exemplary man. I remember dreaming about being like him, strong, dependable, and doing the right thing, just because it was right. And I realized that he had human faults.

Every boy wants to be a fireman, or a policeman. Though as a child, the danger of the job is lost on us. We only saw the excitement and quiet pride.

I took shipboard and aircraft fire-fighting training while in the Navy. It was mandatory for every sailor assigned to a ship, especially an aircraft carrier. We had to man 2 inch hoses with water pressures of 150 lbs. We used OBA's and learned how to fight fires with water, AFFF, Purple-K, Co2, and HALON. We learned the difference between class A, B, & C fires, and what medium to fight them with. And even though we fought simulated fires, the fire itself was real, and hot. Our firesuits felt like they were cooking us and we could only breathe through our OBA masks.

The training was extensive. But it was controlled. Wildfires, like a wild hose, or a wild horse, are unpredictable, uncontrolled, and extremely dangerous. I took fire training because it was mandatory for my job. Proffesional fire-fighters risk their lives to protect people, and the lands and structures used by people, and to protect our planet. And why do firefighters risk limb and life? Certainly not for pay, nor glory. They do it because it's the right thing to do.

Firefighters are still my heroes, like Superman was, but more like my Stepfather was, better, because they are real.

Thank you SierraCook. Our world needs more people like you.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[SierraCook]

Thanks to all of you for the support. It has been a hard week, but not near as hard as the folks that are having to deal with the aftermath of Katrina.

The hardest thing that we have to deal with is sleep deprivation. I got around 4 hours a sleep per night. Last night I came home at 7:00 pm and put a pizza in the oven and then went to bed an slept like a baby until my brother called me at 10:00 pm to tell me that he was home from his fire assignments in Redding, CA and Point Arena, CA. Aside from his phone call, which I was glad that he called me, I got about 8 hours of sleep.

I received the greatest compliment, yesterday. I was having lunch with the members of the Type II Incident Management Team and a lady that lived in Loyalton came out and thanked us for stopping the fire and protecting the town and residents of Loyalton. That gave me the greatest feeling. It made all the long days, the lack of sleep, and all the other inconveniences trivial.