​I remember just one mountain wildfire when I was growing up on the ranch at Morapos, but during the years we have lived here at Pipi’s Pasture there have been numerous scares about fires that have started nearby.

Some years back we even had to evacuate Pipi’s Pasture because our property was in the fire’s path. Another time a fire started in the barrow pit next to the highway and right next to our pasture fence. Both fires were reportedly started after cigarettes were tossed from passing vehicles. 

​The first started bunches of years ago when I was teaching summer semester at CNCC. One day my students and I noticed smoke billowing up from the west. By the time class was over, the smoke was even heavier. It appeared that a fire was close by. However, as I drove home it became apparent that the fire was much closer to Pipi’s Pasture than I had realized.

​By the time I parked the car in front of the house, it was apparent that the fire was close. I hurried into the house and woke Lyle who had been taking a nap and had no idea there was a fire. I ran to the corral. Most of our small herd was on summer pasture, but we had a few yearlings and our granddaughter Megan’s cow and twin calves at home. I fed the animals and locked them in the corral.

​Lyle hopped on the tractor and was attempting to make a fire break, but about then Sheriff Department deputies arrived and said fire was headed for us and we needed to evacuate. I’d never been told to evacuate before, but my thoughts were about the livestock. I hurried back to the house and found Lyle gathering up medication and some clothes. He asked if I wasn’t going to take anything.

​Take anything? Being told to evacuate all of a sudden had me befuddled. I think I put a change of clothes in a bag and added my toothbrush and my meds. I remember grabbing our wedding album, my computer and school stuff, and a blanket and pillow. I put everything in the car, Lyle hooked the stock trailer to the pickup, and we headed for the corral. 

​Luckily, it wasn’t hard to load the cattle. I picked up a feed pan and grain. We headed out for Jody, Cindy and kids’ home north of Craig. They had a home and acreage where we could put the animals. (At some point we would have called them; I don’t remember when exactly.) Then Lyle headed back home. 

​Shortly after, the responders put the fire out, and evacuation orders were lifted. Lyle was at home, but I stayed with our son’s family that night, checked on the animals, and went home the next morning. We left the cow and calves and yearlings for about two weeks and then moved them home.

​Some kind gentlemen in a pickup truck happened by when the fire started in the barrow pit. They grabbed shovels and started putting dirt on the fire. Pretty soon another pickup truck stopped. These men were responsible for getting control of the fire until the fire department arrived. Our fence wasn’t even damaged, and the cattle were safe.

​Fires are scary.