Grass Fire

Sometimes ranching raises a lot of questions.

Questions like why a water trough pump keeps shorting out.

And whether your neighbor is observant.

And whether the electrical grid works without fail.

And whether fall grass will burn.

My cousin, Brent, and I had just returned from checking on a water trough pump and float system that has been kicking off periodically.

The pump would fill the tank and the float would shut the pump off, then at some unknown time, the breaker would flip.

The local Northwestern Energy lineman had checked the meter.

All was well.

Another company employee had checked all of the power poles.

My electrician had changed the outlet box and fuses – I’m not a fan of mixing electricity and water when I don’t know what I’m doing – but the breaker kept flipping.

Brent and I checked the float and wire for cracks.

Nothing.

My cows were thirsty.

We discussed possible causes as we ate supper.

Then my neighbor, Craig, called.

He sounded as if he were talking while running as I tried to puzzle together the intermittent words I could decipher.

None of us has decent cell service here, but I heard “fire” and “at the sheepherder’s monument.”

Craig had a shovel and thought we could put the fire out, but I should call the fire department.

Then Craig stumbled over a power line laying on the ground.

It was sparking.

The Northwestern Energy dispatcher had a lot of questions.

I did my best to remain in the single spot that had cell service, but finally I insisted she send a truck to the top of Graham Hill because I needed to go help Craig now, before the wind picked up again.

Brent and Craig stomped and shoveled flames in the dark while I directed deputies and fire fighters to the gate.

Sparks from the power line still arced, but the flames dwindled.

Conrad Volunteer firefighters soaked the perimeter of the flames.

The forecast predicted 40 mph winds, but they had not reached the ranch yet.

While we waited in the dark for Northwestern Energy to arrive, we watched the hot electrical line continue to arc.

Brent and a deputy had placed traffic cones near the sparks so nobody accidentally stepped on the line.

We chatted while we watched, hoping a gust of wind didn’t reignite the grass.

Finally, Craig had an opportunity share the backstory.

He had looked in his rearview mirror as he drove home from his ranch and seen smoke in time to save my grass and, potentially, my house.

An hour and a half later, I called the dispatcher again – she said a lineman was on his way, but he was stationed about 60 miles away.

I reminded her that this was an urgent, dangerous situation.

She said the company is short-staffed right now.

Eventually, the competent and focused lineman arrived and replaced the line.

The next morning, I reset the water trough electricity.

The trough filled and the float cut off the pump perfectly for several cycles.

As the morning wind picked up, Brent and I checked for any hotspots.

Those nighttime flames answered a lot of questions for me.

1) Good neighbors are irreplaceable.

2) The sagging power line would blow in the periodic wind and touch another line, shorting out my water trough pump.

3) It’s a good idea to look up, past the first potential cause when diagnosing a problem

4) My math-teacher cousin is really good at problem-solving, from stomping out flames to protecting people from arcing electricity to putting clues together.

5) Damp grass will burn when the wind provides enough oxygen.

6) Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.