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019
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Several miles from this fire there was another. Little damage was done because one of the neighbors, Walter Heath, was able to stop it from spreading by plowing a guard around the burned area. Walter didn't come home when the fire was out. They found him sitting up against the wagon wheel. The team came home and were standing by the barn, still hitched to the plow. Walter had died of a heart attack.
It would appear that once a prairie fire was put out that it would be safe for the fighters to go home, but this was not the case. Some one had to stay on the job, perhaps for several days. Hot weather in Western Nebraska would breed small twisters or whirl winds. Some times dust and ash would get caught in one of these twisters, and be lifted a 100 feet in the air. At the same time unburned weeds or cow chips would get caught in the up draft and be rolled along the ground and start another fire. Cow chips could hold fire for several days.
I was fascinated by the burned areas, I would walk over the area to see what took place. Only a few birds ever lost their lives. Most of the meadow lark nests would be empty. Snakes often didn't find a place to hide, and would die. Some times a turtle would be found dead, but most often they escaped the heat. Baby rabbits could be found with singed bodies killed by fire or smoke.
The wooden fence posts would often be burned off at ground level and would need to be replaced. If rain fell in the fall the area would green pasture again. If there was no rain it remained a black carpet all winter, if not covered by snow.
I never hear of fires being started by trains any more. Lightening will sometimes start one, but the prairie fire in the ranch country of Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado is still to be feared.
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Metzger Memories
