esrosedotblog

CHASE

The last few days we have had smoke from the forest fires near here. It makes for great sunsets and sunrises, but that is the only thing that is good about it unless you believe in defensive burning after the fact. Last night was especially dark and smelly; coming from the south; and when I was walking Franklin I thought maybe it was in Palm Canyon which is VERY near here. When we got home, John said we ought to go take a look, which we did. Franklin is always up for a ride in the Jeep and, in fact, so are we. We did not find anything but we had a nice ride and got to agonize about all the building along streets that used to be open desert.

I also got to remember my Dad. He was a fire-chaser. In our little town, there was a siren that went off so the local volunteer firemen would know they were needed. As often as he could, my Dad would take off and go take a look at the action. It could be in the middle of the night, and if so, so much the better. Later, when scanners came on the market he got one and then followed police calls too.

I never figured why he was not a member of the fire volunteers. I think it was a group that he would not want to be with. Small towns are like that. You will never know why any of that stuff takes place or sometimes, if it takes place at all; the mutual snubbing. All sub-rosa so to speak.

Later, when there was an ambulance corps started, he did join that and got to be a regular on the emergency medical side. It was not as much fun, I think. He had to go when the calls came. Worse, there was no second guessing. With the fires, he could go and observe and then criticize the action or non-action. There was plenty to criticize. Our volunteers were mostly adept at watering down hot foundations. In fact they were known by the skeptics as the Volunteer Foundation Savers.

I guess as a result of this, I have always been averse to chasing fires. A small rebellion at being like my dad. With last night's unsuccessful search for flames, I think I will hang up my fire hat and let my Dad hold the family record for most flames found.