Someone left a campfire burning a few hundred feet from my house!

[PetrifiedWood]

This morning, one of our neighbors asked my wife if we were ok, and said they saw an ambulance and fire truck up at the end of our driveway at 3 AM last night. We asked around and one of my friends who works with the fire department told me he was up putting it out last night. He described it as an "unattended camp fire". It wasn't just a fire someone failed to fully extinguish. It was a fire they just completely abandoned while it was still burning.

My guess is it was a bunch of kids out way past their bedtime and when the parents finally got in touch with them to demand they go home, they probably were in too much of a hurry to put it out. (Or at least, that's one of the more plausible explanations I can come up with.)

Not very cool considering the dry conditions around here.

[woodsorrel]

I'm glad to hear you did not suffer from it.

- Woodsorrel

[madmax]

Glad you're OK.

[OutdoorEnvy]

That's how a lot start.  Doesn't make any sense as it takes 10 seconds to put it out with the dirt and sand around the fire.  Glad it wasn't worse for you

[hayshaker]

sounds like a close call, glad nothing bad happend.

[PetrifiedWood]

Just as a minor update, I applied to the local fire department last week and got voted  "go" by the firemen yesterday. if city council has approved it tonight, I will get to go help put these out next time. 

[wsdstan]

Good for you.   

[wolfy]

 

[hunter63]

That is a scary event any time....lately even more so.....
Gld you are OK and you had no damage.

I suppose that wasn't any follow up by the LEO's...

[Unknown]

100 feet

That's like only a long extension cord away. Wrist rocket range.

[PetrifiedWood]

That is a scary event any time....lately even more so.....
Gld you are OK and you had no damage.

I suppose that wasn't any follow up by the LEO's...

No. Around here they are pretty "laissez faire" as long as nobody gets hurt and no damage is done. I'm ok with that approach, and I understand it. It's a very small community here and everyone knows everyone else. So whenever somebody gets into trouble doing something unwise but ultimately no harm done, it's always going to be your neighbor's kid, or someone you work with, or your kid's teacher's kid, etc. It really goes to show you how many laws we have that aren't really necessary when a stern warning from a police officer that knows your parents personally will do. Of course, it only works because of the small town dynamic.

[pete28]

Glad you guys are ok PW. This is a significant problem for my fire department. People this year so far have been fairly decent (knock on wood) but there are still a few days left in the year.

[Orbean]

A couple of years back campfires or any open flame was banned because of the extreme fire danger. Was talking to a ranger that had come by to check our camp and she told us they had issued well over a hundred tickets for violating the ban. One group of idiots was cited twice and then finally arrested after a third fire. Some people should be permanently banned from the national forests. Frankly they should be beaten and then arrested. I would be more than happy to participate in the beating part. I would think several hard kicks in the ass would not be out of line. The rangers could call on us responsible forest users to do the beating so the law enforcement people would not get into trouble. The rangers could pull an sarg. shultz. i see nothing

[PetrifiedWood]

Yeah fire is like a power tool. The more powerful and useful, the more dangerous it is, and the more care and caution it requires.