Fire! Fire!

Hi neighbors.

If you can't decide this morning whether that chair on the front porch is the right place for that first cup of coffee, just plop down anywhere and read the paper.

Spring is always the time for fires to break out, but I think we started way too early this year. Fort Scott's downtown was hit hard, then the Vernon County Meat Packing plant went up in flames. There were two fires in Joplin last week as well.

Brush fires are bad enough, but when buildings burn, that includes a loss of personal property, often irreplaceable. When it is a business establishment that burns, that also means a loss of jobs, at least temporarily.

It's always good to see the federal government show up with some manpower and machinery to help clean things up. We are fortunate to live in a country where the arrival of the "Feds" is always a good thing.

When I was a teenager, I remember every spring was a time of fire fighting. We lived in the country and inevitably someone's field "burn-off" would end up being a burn out of control.

Some neighbors would come by saying so-n-so's burn got out of control and people's houses were in the path of the fire. My father and brother would put on their heaviest boots and jackets, grab a couple of shovels, jump in the truck with the others and head off toward the advancing smoke line.

More often than not, it was some place far enough away Mom and I could see the smoke but could never really see the flames from home.

There were more than a couple of times when we could smell smoke and once we could actually see the flames. That time the neighbors came to our house to hit the timber to our north.

My mother and I stood in the back yard and watched the red line advance through the timber. There wasn't much to do to prepare. We did put some clothes and other necessities in the car and truck just in case the guys couldn't stop the fire and it got to the house. We knew of other people whose houses had been taken over by the apparently slow moving yet unstoppable flames.

There's no more helpless feeling than seeing something advance upon you that you feel powerless against. A fire is like that. Even a low-burning grass fire that is snaking it's way through the timber.

You know, some scientists say one of the main differences between humans and animals is humans don't fear fire. I disagree. Show me a burning red line across the horizon and I'm ready to run.

Thank goodness for those farmer-firemen neighbors who always showed up when the skies turned red. Those brave souls who don't run from a fire, but fight it step by step.

I've lived in two homes where there were fires. Fortunately these were both roof fires from cinders wafted out of the chimney from wood-burning stoves. Although the roofs were damaged, nothing else was. Each time the men in the house had to fight the blazes alone till help arrived.

Nevada has had more than its share of fires too. From almost total destruction during the Civil War, through the three major building losses on the square within the last decade, Nevada has been a good example of literally rising from the ashes.

Sometimes the devastation of a fire actually allows new growth.

That's why the grass and timber fires of my youth occurred. Farmers burning off fields and pastures to get rid of the dead grass and allow the sunshine to help new growing things to take root and find their place in the scheme of things.

Then again, those are controlled (hopefully!) fires and set for an acceptable reason. Fires that just start from some malfunction and carry away businesses, homes, and too often lives -- are a very different problem.

The elements of fire, water, air and earth all seem to work under laws very different to the laws of civilization. When man and nature butt heads, nature always wins out in the end...always.

As the time of spring burning approaches let's all remember that fire, man's long time helper and protector, can quickly turn into a consuming monster with no alliances and no mercy. Please be careful when dealing with fires.

If your fire can encroach on your neighbor's land, be wary, be wise.

Until the next time friends remember; change those smoke alarm batteries often for your own protection. And keep your boots and shovel handy in case you get a call from your neighbor.