Intern•Tales

The Way Of The West

#bfrdpwy #aginternship #RightRisk

This‬‭ week‬‭ started‬‭ off‬‭ with‬‭ spraying‬‭ for‬‭ weeds‬‭ in‬‭ one‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ larger‬‭ and‬‭ more‬‭ rugged‬‭ pastures‬‭ of‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ the‬‭ ranch‬‭ and‬‭ almost‬‭ immediately‬‭ getting‬‭ stuck.‬‭ Luckily‬‭ enough‬‭, the‬‭ other‬‭ intern‬‭ was‬‭ also‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ area‬‭ and‬‭ was‬‭ able‬‭ to‬‭ provide‬‭ assistance‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ form‬‭ of‬‭ an‬‭ off‬‭ road‬‭ rescue.‬‭

Spraying‬‭ for‬‭ a‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ couple‬‭ of‬‭ days‬‭ led‬‭ into‬‭ mid‬‭ week‬‭ and‬‭ with‬‭ wind‬‭ picking‬‭ up,‬‭ the‬‭ spraying‬‭ ceased‬‭ and‬‭ other‬‭‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ “odd” jobs‬‭ began‬‭ to‬‭ be‬‭ completed; the‬‭ most‬‭ notable‬‭ of‬‭ which‬‭ was‬‭ placing‬‭ a‬‭ tire‬‭ water‬‭ tank‬‭ in‬‭ a‬‭ new‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ location‬‭ to‬‭ improve‬‭ cow‬‭ and‬‭ sheep‬‭ water‬‭ access‬‭ in‬‭ that‬‭ pasture.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

‭Placing‬‭ the‬‭ tank‬‭ involved‬‭ digging‬‭ out‬‭ and‬‭ leveling‬‭ the‬‭ location‬‭ with‬‭ the‬‭ skid‬‭ steer‬‭, as‬‭ well‬‭ as‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ hand‬‭ tools‬‭, and‬‭ having‬‭ the‬‭ power‬‭ company‬‭ run‬‭ a‬‭ service‬‭ line‬‭ from‬‭ the‬‭ meter‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ pump.‬‭

This‬‭ is‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ where‬‭ previous‬‭ experience‬‭ was‬‭ very‬‭ beneficial‬‭ since‬‭ there‬‭ was‬‭ an‬‭ old‬‭ power‬‭ panel‬‭ adjacent‬‭ to‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ the‬‭ pump‬‭ giving‬‭ us‬‭ the‬‭ ability‬‭ to‬‭ route‬‭ power‬‭ cabling‬‭ through‬‭ it‬‭ instead‬‭ of‬‭ just‬‭ having‬‭ it‬‭ laying‬‭ on‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ bare‬‭ ground‬‭ the‬‭ way‬‭ the‬‭ power‬‭ company‬‭ had‬‭ laid‬‭ it‬‭ out.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Routing‬‭ the‬‭ new‬‭ power‬‭ cables from‬‭ the‬‭ meter‬‭ into‬‭ the‬‭ box‬‭ and‬‭ out‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ water‬‭ pump‬‭ did‬‭ away‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ with‬‭ an‬‭ inline‬‭ splice‬‭ that‬‭ was‬‭ laid‬‭ on‬‭ bare‬‭ ground‬‭ waiting‬‭ to‬‭ be‬‭ buried‬‭ and‬‭ involved‬‭ a‬‭ little‬‭ bit‬‭ of‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ digging‬‭ to‬‭ find‬‭ and‬‭ access‬‭ the‬‭ buried‬‭ conduit. We had to find‬‭ which‬‭ connections‬‭ correlated‬‭ to‬‭ each‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ other‬‭ and‬‭ then‬‭ simply‬‭ connecting‬‭ the‬‭ cables‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ proper‬‭ order.‬‭

We‬‭ also‬‭ verified‬‭ that‬‭ the‬‭ fuses‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ in‬‭ the‬‭ safety‬‭ kill switch‬‭ were‬‭ intact‬‭ and‬‭ operable, along with verifying‬‭ operation‬‭ and‬‭ then‬‭ putting‬‭ partial‬ power‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ system, followed by full‬‭ power‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ system‬‭ and‬‭ making‬‭ sure‬‭ the‬‭ water‬‭ pump‬‭ was‬ operating‬‭ properly.‬‭ At‬‭ the‬‭ end‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ project‬‭ we‬‭ all‬‭ came‬‭ away‬‭ with‬‭ a‬‭ better‬‭ understanding‬‭ of‬‭ the‬ entire‬‭ process.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

‭As‬‭ I‬‭ was‬‭ writing‬‭ this‬‭ summary‬‭ on‬‭ Sunday‬‭ afternoon,‬‭ I‬‭ received‬‭ a‬‭ call‬‭ from‬‭ my‬‭ host‬‭ asking‬‭ what‬‭ I‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ was‬‭ doing, letting‬‭ me‬‭ know‬‭ that‬‭ there‬‭ was‬‭ a‬‭ fire‬‭ a‬‭ few‬‭ miles‬‭ away‬‭ from‬‭ us‬‭ and‬‭ we‬‭ were‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ going‬‭ to‬‭ go‬‭ help‬‭ contain‬‭ and‬‭ extinguish‬‭ it.‬‭ Ranchers‬‭ helping‬‭ ranchers‬‭ is‬‭ the‬‭ way‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ west‬‭ it‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ seems,‬‭ whether‬‭ it’s‬‭ for‬‭ calf‬‭ brandings,‬‭ sheep‬‭ dockings,‬‭ or‬‭ helping‬‭ save‬‭ as‬‭ much‬‭ range‬‭ from‬‭ the‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ devastation‬‭ of‬‭ a‬‭ wildfire‬‭ as‬‭ possible.‬‭

For‬‭ this,‬‭ like‬‭ many‬‭ things‬‭ in‬‭ ranching,‬‭ every‬‭ ranch‬‭ has‬‭ a‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ different‬‭ setup.‬‭ Our‬‭ setup‬‭ is‬‭ two‬‭ 300‬‭ gallon‬‭ water‬‭ containers‬‭ on‬‭ a‬‭ flatbed‬‭ trailer‬‭ with‬‭ another‬‭ 300‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ gallon‬‭ water‬‭ container,‬‭ several‬‭ hoses‬‭ and‬‭ a‬‭ gas‬‭-run‬‭ water‬‭ pump‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ back‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ truck.‬‭ The‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ trailer‬‭ can‬‭ be‬‭ dropped‬‭ at‬‭ a‬‭ central‬‭ location‬‭ for‬‭ resupply‬‭ for‬‭ not‬‭ just‬‭ us‬‭ but‬‭ for‬‭ others‬‭ and‬‭ possibly‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ the‬‭ fire‬‭ department‬‭ itself‬‭ depending‬‭ on‬‭ the‬‭ severity‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ fire.‬‭ The‬‭ truck‬‭ then‬‭ has‬‭ better‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ maneuverability‬‭ and‬‭ has‬‭ plenty‬‭ of‬‭ water‬‭ to‬‭ cover‬‭ a‬‭ decent‬‭ sized‬‭ area.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Upon‬‭ arrival‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ area,‬‭ we‬‭ saw‬‭ that‬‭ it‬‭ had‬‭ burned‬‭ several‬‭ hundred‬‭ acres‬‭ already‬‭ and‬‭ was‬‭ at‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ the‬‭ moment‬‭ partially‬‭ contained.‬‭ After‬‭ dropping‬‭ off‬‭ the‬‭ trailer‬‭ in‬‭ a‬‭ safe‬‭ location‬‭ we‬‭ worked‬‭ our‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ way‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ fire‬‭ line‬‭ and‬‭ found‬‭ where‬‭ there‬‭ was‬‭ a‬‭ reflash‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ the‬‭ fire‬‭ in‬‭ a‬‭ small‬‭ draw‬‭ about‬‭ 30‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ yards‬‭ long‬‭ and‬‭ immediately‬‭ jumped‬‭ out‬‭ and‬‭ began‬‭ pouring‬‭ water‬‭ to‬‭ it.‬‭

Sweeping‬‭ the‬‭ base‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ flames‬‭ as‬‭ we‬‭ moved‬‭ along‬‭ the‬‭ leading‬‭ edge‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ fire‬‭ making‬‭ sure‬‭ the‬‭ grass‬‭ line‬‭ along‬‭ it‬‭ and‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ clumps‬‭ of‬‭ sage‬‭ were‬‭ soaked‬‭ and‬‭ not‬‭ going‬‭ to‬‭ reflash‬‭ after‬‭ moving‬‭ on.‬‭ Taking‬‭ about‬‭ an‬‭ hour‬‭ to‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ fully‬‭ control‬‭ our‬‭ somewhat‬‭ chosen‬‭, but‬‭ mostly‬‭ stumbled‬‭ upon‬‭, section‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ fire‬‭, we‬‭ needed‬‭ a‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ resupply‬‭ of‬‭ water‬‭ and‬‭ began‬‭ moving‬‭ towards‬‭ the‬‭ trailer.‬‭

From‬‭ our‬‭ resupply‬‭ trailer‬‭ we‬‭ were‬‭ able‬‭ to‬‭ survey‬‭ the‬‭ area‬‭ and‬‭ make‬‭ the decision‬‭, like‬‭ several‬‭ others‬‭, that‬‭ we‬‭ were‬‭ no‬‭ longer‬‭ needed‬‭ in‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ that‬‭ section‬‭ and‬‭ could‬‭ move‬‭ on.‬‭ Moving‬‭ on,‬‭ we‬‭ found‬‭ that‬‭ the‬‭ fire‬‭ was‬‭, at‬‭ that‬‭ time,‬‭ fully‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ contained‬‭ and‬‭ no‬‭ longer‬‭ a‬‭ threat‬‭ and‬‭ began‬‭ preparations‬‭ to‬‭ return‬‭ home.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

This‬‭ wildfire‬‭ fighting‬‭ experience‬‭ was‬‭ unlike‬‭ any‬‭ other‬‭ experience‬‭ so‬‭ far‬‭ at‬‭ the‬‭ ranch.‬‭ Learning‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ the‬‭ different‬‭ aspects‬‭ of‬‭ fighting‬‭ a‬‭ fire‬‭ as‬‭ a‬‭ civilian,‬‭ as‬‭ well‬‭ as‬‭ seeing‬‭ the‬‭ different‬‭ truck‬‭ and‬‭ tank‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ set‬‭ ups‬‭ the‬‭ ranchers‬‭ have‬‭ to‬‭ help‬‭ other‬‭ ranchers‬‭ save‬‭ valuable‬‭ forage‬‭ and‬‭ keep‬‭ the‬‭ threat‬‭ away‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ from‬‭ homes‬‭ and‬‭ livestock.‬‬‬‬‬

Submitted by: Cody Lancaster
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team

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