Yet Another Oklahoma Welcome

[Parks 788]

As some of you know, we live on 45 acres out in the sticks 8 miles NW of bristow. The back/North side of the property is pretty heavily wooded and thick with brush, tangles and everything else you could imagine. It's where I hunt during deer season. I have a main house seperated by about 200 yards of native pasture and trees. North of the mobile home is about 1/4 mile of the thick stuff where I hunt. Fire burned most of what was north of the mobile home and everythign between the homes. I've got a good cushion of pasture and manicured lawn around the main house, luckily.

Jackwagon trust fund neighbor who owns about 7-800 acres that borders us on the North side and east and west of our property deciede to burn a 160 acres of his land on Saturday when the weather was calm. Just like he did last year when he decided to burn a 320 acres pasture, the wind picked up the next day. Well, last Sunday the wind picke up coming from the N/W. The fire reignited and blew onto our property burning about 25 acres of our 45. Luckily the crew at Shamrock Volunteer FD did an awesome job and saved our trailer house compound area . Took about 6 hours with about 10 guys and 4 trucks and a tanker. I'm exceptionally impressed with what they did. Can't thank them enough. Also, our homes each have their own water well. They suck for water pressure or maybe it was the 300' of garden hose I was using to wet down the structures while the fire crew took care of the brush. They also had one truck standing by our trailer house and detactched garage in case any embers got on them.

I'll tell ya, it was a bit nerve racking when I was in Tulsa with my family and got a call from my neighbor telling me his pasture was on fire along with our property. I'm now on the hunt for a good 500 gallong water trailer setup to keep on standby just incase.

 

[Dumpstick]

Ain't it a ditch?

I've been in my place for over 30 years. In that time I've had close encounters with 4 wildfires, with the closest (still completely out of control) getting about 600 feet from me.

I've watched the planes dumping fire retardant less than a half mile from me. I've watched the helo buckets filling at a pond less than 400 feet away, flying close enough by the back porch that I could recognize pilots.

Scary times, especially with the power out. No power, no well pump, no water. The feeling of complete helplessness, just watching the fire come and knowing one can do nothing.


It's Oklahoma. Some dumbaxe with a lighter will burn the place down eventually.

Glad you came out safely, although somewhat scarred. Maintain that "fire free" zone around the house.

 

[gmar]

@Parks 788 do you have smoke damage inside your home such as soot on the walls or smoke smell to your clothes/furniture?

If so and your neighbor was negligent, file a liability claim in his homeowner’s policy. Maybe it’ll teach him to be more careful next time.

 

[Okie4570]

Glad they got it stopped. Power lines blow down from wind, dragging trailer chains, cigarette butts and trains start more fires than out of control controlled burns do a 1000 to 1.

 

[Shadowrider]

So does your neighbor get a bill or are y'all in a "co-op"?

 

[trickormate]

Now I know the smoke smell in Tulsa and why it was hazy. Tell your neighbor thanks!

 

[Okie4570]

So does your neighbor get a bill or are y'all in a "co-op"?

Some counties just pay a 1/10th or 1/8th of a cent sales tax. Funds the county departments and then there's no charge for any calls, medical or fire. If a truck or trucks are needed/requested by a landowner to be on scene for controlled burns then we bring them since they're funded by the residents of the county.

 

[Snattlerake]

Usually the controlled burn has to be reported to the sheriff beforehand. They will either ok it or deny it. You might find out something. And the standby firetrucks mentioned above might have been a good thing.

 

[Parks 788]

Usually the controlled burn has to be reported to the sheriff beforehand. They will either ok it or deny it. You might find out something. And the standby firetrucks mentioned above might have been a good thi

My neighbor who runs the cattle said he reported it to the fire department but not sure if it was the Shamrock Volunteer or Bristow FD. Apparently he was to notify all neighbors who share a fence line as well but that was never done.

@Parks 788 do you have smoke damage inside your home such as soot on the walls or smoke smell to your clothes/furniture?

If so and your neighbor was negligent, file a liability claim in his homeowner’s policy. Maybe it’ll teach him to be more careful next time.

No smoke in the homes luckily. Our trucks that were parked near where the fire trucks were working smelled like smoke for a couple days. Our main home had a lot of smoke around it and blowing by but no smell inside.

Glad they got it stopped. Power lines blow down from wind, dragging trailer chains, cigarette butts and trains start more fires than out of control controlled burns do a 1000 to 1.

YEah, my neighbor told me when we first moved in when he saw me brush hogging my 5-6 acre pasture between the Hwy and our main house to be sure to also mow the "ditch" between the Hwy and our fence line just because of the reasons you mentioned above. We have a fair amount of cattle and oil field semis and private people towing a ton of trailers past our place. Neighbor said there have been plenty of pasture fires started because of them in our 'hood.

So does your neighbor get a bill or are y'all in a "co-op"?

Not sure 100% how it works but the Fire Chief said he was going to charge the responsible landowner about $10K for this and if he didn't pay he would lien his property.

Some counties just pay a 1/10th or 1/8th of a cent sales tax. Funds the county departments and then there's no charge for any calls, medical or fire. If a truck or trucks are needed/requested by a landowner to be on scene for controlled burns then we bring them since they're funded by the residents of the county.

Not sure but the Chief was going to send us a contract for the year that was about $150 for the Shamrock FD services. Since they did such a nice job and saved our bacon we will donate a chuck of money to their department as a thank you. It's the least we could do.