Well, I'm finally back home again. Talk about a rude awakening to get a phone call at 2:30 am saying there is a fire. I look out my window to the east and see an orange glow on the horizon that doesn't just say there is a fire over there, it says;<br />n<br />nTHERE IS A DAMN BIG FIRE OVER HERE AND IT IS REALLY BURNING!!!!!!<br />n<br />nI was out of here as fast as possible to get to the fire and see what I could do. It was 75 degrees still and by the time we got to the fire there was a stiff east wind blowing it towards my place at a fast and furious rate. The flames were leaping in the grass up to 4 feet tall and with my shovel and Pulaski there wasn't much I could do. The fire was reported in Indian Coulee but it was actually in the very head of Sarpy Creek across the fence from my place.<br />n<br />nThe Northern Cheyenne fire teams started showing up at the same time I did and one of the bosses needed a local to show him around the fire in the dark so he could see how it was laid out and plan a way to attack it. Since I had no water I started running him around so we could get the crews fighting the fire. About the time we started finally getting the crews headed out to start fighting the fire the temperatures took a downwards turn and a little spit shower came up.<br />n<br />nIt was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. The fire was burning in grass and old timber burned a few years ago and the increase in humidity with the little spit shower caused the fire to go from flames licking up 4 feet high to completely out within 20 minutes. The fire boss I was with said, "This change in Humidity is going to make us look like genius firefighters." It really showed me what a little difference a change in the humidity could make.<br />n<br />nIt stayed fairly cool all day and the humidity has stayed up all day so they got all the way around the fire and got it out. We stayed there and made sure they didn't need anymore help and made sure they got it under control with enough crew for us to come home. When I left there was a fire crew from the Northern Cheyenne, a crew form Taos, New Mexico and a crew from the Bozeman area there. There was also 2 road graders and 3 crawlers there and a few other support pieces of equipment. I had guessed the fire size at 500 acres and finally heard when I left that they were calling it 350 acres. If that humidity wouldn't of changed we would have been in a hell of a pickle and been in real trouble but we were lucky. I guess I can't say I only have bad luck because this sure changed it. <br />n<br />nOne of the guys up at the fire mentioned something that they have a policy now this year that the fire has to be completely cool before they demobilize from it. I will keep going up and checking on it but will leave the mop-up work to the professionals. I won't be comfortable if I don;t keep an eye on it but with that policy I shouldn't have to sit on it. I'll let them do that.<br />n<br />nOne last thing. I am going to have to consider weaning my self from my caffeine addiction. Bolting out of bed and having to get going with out my dose of coffee in the morning lead me to such a sever headache that it wasn't even funny. It wasn't until I swallowed way more Excedrin Migraine (it has caffeine in it) than is recommended for one human being to take in a week that I finally got the headache under control. This can't be good for me. I'm not saying I am going to do it, but I need to think about it. <br />n<br />nI have a few pictures I will try to get up. I was busy enough during the fire I didn't get any of the active burn but got some afterwords.<br />n<br />n<strong>A chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and life is after all a chain. William James </strong><br />n<br />nP.S. I want to thank everybody for their kind wishes. They are appreciated.