Smokey the Bear - Evil Incarnate

Now, most of you kids don't remember Smokey the Bear. In fact, most of my references to commercials are lost on the people around me. A while back some at the church were talking about littering or something and I said, "Yeah, you don't want to make the Indian cry." A young lady (early-mid 20's) had no idea what I was talking about. Synopsis: field covered in litter; camera pans back; back of an American Indian looking at the field; Indian turns to face camera; tear is running down his cheek. If not moving, it certainly made an impression on me enough to become a vague reference that no one gets. I digress...

Back to Smokey... Smokey the Bear was part of the Forestry department as a mascot against forest fires. At the end of every add, Smokey would point to the camera (and in the process, to me) and say, "Only YOU can prevent forest fires!" Imagine the pressure!!!! I'm only one man, and actually I was just a small boy at the time. There is no way I could ever save all of humanity. Besides, I have always considered brush fires a little overrated. Come on, it's brush. How big of a fire hazard could that cause???? This, until Monday the 25th, was my feelings on the fire in the grass.

I burned approximately 1/4 of an acres in a matter of moments. I called both the TN Forestry Dept and the local county fire department to inform them I would like to burn some brush (tree limbs and such) and to ask if I needed a permit. "No," they said, "you're fine." I go to our newly purchased land and wadded up a small ball of newspaper for something to light. I lit the paper and walked to another spot before looking back to notice that the fire was beginning to catch the grass around the brush pile. No problem, I walked over to the fire (now blazing high from 3 weeks of no rain) and realized that it was too hot to get close to. The grass fire was spreading now, and I just went for it and tried to stomp it out. No luck! Now the fire was going from the pile in 3 different directions, and then moved to 4. I decided to try to save the forest of trees on the property next to mine. I had three gallons of water that really might have well have been zero, and a rake that I broke three swats into my fire fighting. I prayed, and then actually heard a voice calling out.

"Do you have it under control?" the voice cried out. "No, help me!" I responded. I looked and it was a police officer who just happened to stop by. He called the fire department and then proceeded to try and help himself. One burned blanket later and the fire caught the trees leading into the next property on fire. "Well, there it goes," he said, and I decided it was time to sit down. Some of the fire dept got there and tried to snuff out the grass on the sides (that I had given up on) while they waited on the water. The water trucks came, and put out all of the fire. My neighbor only lost a few feet (15 or so) of his woods in a spot, and I will probably have really nice grass in my yard by the end of the summer. Right now it's black. I talked the officer out of calling me an ambulance from the smoke and heat exhaustion, and sat down to wait for Holly to come.

Man, if only I can prevent these things, there will be no trees left... ever!