May 18th

15C sunny but a high haze.
Nice morning, will drop M off at ladies bowling then help Barry load his camper. Men's bowling this pm.
The pictures I posted yesterday pm were to show how our computer room is built out into the back yard and why I am always going on about the birds.
 Haven't finished the current fire story yet but I am ahead of postings for a couple more days, by then I should be finished  - here is the next part.

I walked up to within a few feet of the fire’s edge, it was burning quietly somewhat inhibited by the remnants of the old road. Under most situations I would have carried out a reconnaissance around the fire’s perimeter, but with the large amount of windthrow it would have been quite onerous as well as hazardous. I climbed up on top of an upturned root and decided that the fire was burning in a circular pattern and was probably only five or six hundred feet across. A few yards from my vantage point was a spot where the fire had appeared to have been burning vigorously. ‘Between a half and an acre I thought but if a wind ever picks up ---!’ I clambered down and hurried back to the truck. I turned on my a.m. two way radio and called Vanderhoof, no reply, I moved the truck a few feet and called again, still no reply. With those types of radios dead spots were very normal. I knew that about another two miles down the road near the end there was a tie cutter with a small D2 cat, I had just inspected his fire tools a couple weeks earlier, the question was would he be there today. I gunned the truck down the road and in a few minutes pulled into where his ties were stacked. The cat was there and somebody’s butt end was facing me from the motor! After all these years I don’t remember his name so I’ll call him Jules.

  “Hey that you Jules?” I yelled as I skidded to a stop.

  “Yep, I’m me, whaddya want?” He didn’t turn around.

  “You and your cat, we got a fire just down the road, it’s in that blowdown.”

  He backed out and turned around, “Sure thing, but I’ll have to walk ‘er down and she sure ain’t very big.”

  “Good.” I replied. “Anyone else here with you?”

  “My boy, he’s hackin’ ties a piece that way just pass the shack.”

  I thought for a second, “You get fueled up and get going I’ll go get him.”

  I took off without waiting for a reply and followed down the trail from where they had been skidding the ties. In a couple hundred yards, I came on the his eighteen year old son, “Hey, I just sent your Dad down the road to a fire, we need you too.” He started to argue so I cut in, “No no discussion, I need you so drop your axe and c’mon.”

He followed but didn’t look too happy.

  When we got back to the tie pile the cat was just disappearing around a corner. “Grab a chain saw and get in the truck.” I ordered. “You are on the payroll as of now as a saw operator with saw.” He brightened up and scurried off to get a saw and fuel.

  While I was waiting I tried calling Vanderhoof again and did get a few garbled words in reply. Then suddenly loud and clear came, “9Bravo, this is Fort St. James, we can read you about three square can we relay for you?”

  I quickly replied, “You bet XLV51, please advise Vanderhoof that the fire is located twelve miles in on the Blue Mountain Road. I have a D2 cat and one saw operator on their way, I need a minimum of eight more men plus hand tools and two men with chain saws . If a tank truck can be found, will need one with water and pump. Break.” I waited a few seconds then went on,  “The fire situation is approximately one acre, burning in heavy blowdown, quiet at this time. No water within a least two miles. We’ll need food for a fifteen man crew, don’t worry about tents or blankets. Over.”

My message was repeated with a “Vanderhoof did you copy?” A few seconds later, “9 Bravo, Vanderhoof copied.”

  I put the truck in gear and accelerated down the road, passing the cat in half a mile.

  When we got to the old skid road, I said to Jerry (the son) “Just follow down this old road, cut out any trees that are in the way, make sure the pieces for part of the way are small enough for me to move then after that a little bigger as the ‘cat’ should be here by then. I’m going on ahead and see if I can knock down any hot spots.”