Fire season in the North Fork early

I am writing this column on June 21st, the first day of summer and Lee Downes' anniversary of his 21st birthday. June is supposed to be one of the wettest months of the year, if not the wettest. It will really have to pour it on between now and the 30th for that to be true this year.

Already we have had two human-caused fires. The first the much publicized fire at the Barnes' residence which destroyed two minimum value outbuildings, a solar array and several years' worth of firewood.

The second did not cause any monetary loss. It was just a creeper that caused the landowner and a neighbor several hours of labor with hand tools last night and this morning. Since multiple small hand-piles of brush were burnt in the last two weeks, several of us will spend the next few days monitoring the site to make sure it is all really dead out this time.

I as well as others have burning permits. Mine is good through June 30-but that does not make it safe to burn. Since I got the permit, there have been only two days when we considered it safe to burn and even then we only had a couple on fire at a time although we have over one hundred hand piles to dispose of. Unless we get a real downpour, all that remain will now have to wait until fall when it will be safe.

I am not big on spring burning anyway. Just a small spark can hide in the duff or follow a root for days, weeks, or even months. Then when it is really dry in mid to late summer a strong breeze can ignite that little spark into an open flame that could blow up into a major fire.

If that happens the liability costs can be staggering. Anyway, I hope everyone is praying for rain or, if they don't believe in praying, they will at least do a little rain dance. It can't hurt even if it doesn't produce rain.

Had a pleasant surprise this week. An old friend and neighbor dropped by and we had a great visit. Joe Lang, retired Air Force sergeant and North Fork Customs agent, was back for a visit. He and his wife Joan had a North Fork cabin and a home in Columbia Falls for years.

Joan and I did not agree on anything except our mutual love for the North Fork but we both enjoyed our many discussions. Her passing was a real loss.

Now their daughter, Maggie, and her husband are North Fork landowners and I hope Joe, now 82, will be a frequent visitor. The newly purchased property has a nice guest cabin and Joe's son-in-law has promised Joe a comfy rocker. Joe says he doesn't care about the rocker but would appreciate a good supply of beer. Let me know Joe, if necessary I'll bring the beer and sit in the rocker, so we can rehash the old days.