The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Fire can be mesmerizing. Anyone can sit for a long time by a fire pit or a fire-place just watching it burn, but a grass fire races towards you is a totally different thing. Instantly everyone realizes the danger. Quick frantic calls to 911 and to surrounding neighbors begins. As one of those neighbors, when a fire is received and you pick up the phone, the caller is always speaking fast and a little out of breath as fear takes hold. However, what usually happens when a smoke from a fire is seen, especially during fire season, the neighboring farmers and ranchers who are working outside have already started to run towards whatever fire gear they have on their place.

"We ran for the spray pick up, and I started calling," said Marla Drga. "Sarah and Emily evacuated. The fire was huge and so close and the wind, at first, the wind was bringing the fire directly towards us. It was amazing how fast the neighbors arrived to fight fire."

There is always a little fear that goes away when you see the Big Sandy Fire Department arrive on the scene. That day neighbors and volunteer fire fighters fought the fire together.

Larry Ophus, Big Sandy Fire Chief, said, they have had a total of eight fires, six of which were grass fires. Total acres burned is between 230.5-280.5. A relatively small fire season. It could have been a much worse fire season with all the moisture we received and all the tall grasses. However, he doesn't necessarily believe the fire season is over. There is still tall grain left to be cut and everyone has to understand, fires can start with machinery that heat up, or hot exhausts from vehicles.

I read one of the Big Sandy Volunteer Fire Department web page that there have been two organized volunteer fire departments. It had been written 10 years ago but I found it interesting because I didn't know the origin of the Big Sandy Volunteer Fire Department. The first department ended in 1938 no one knows why. However, Lou Lawrence, the editor of the Big Sandy Mountaineer at the time wrote through a long series of editorials for the need of a fire department. His commitment started the current Big Sandy Fire Department after the August 19, 1948 editorial. He believed the Big Sandy Fire Department "could develop into one of the better volunteer fire fighting organization in the state." Ten years ago, it was reported that the Department has had over 250 members. Even back then the volunteers have responded to fires all over Chouteau County and has far as Chinook, and as south as Highwood. They have participated in fire project in Cook City, Silver Gate, and Noxon. They help with enormous efforts at neighbor's farms, and neighbor's yards combating fire. It mentions the multi-million-dollar grain elevator fire, which I had temporarily forgotten. The article ends with, "The Big Sandy Volunteer Fire Department has been able to proudly serve and protect its community over the years. We would not have reached the status or achievements meet without the help, love and support it receives from its community. It is the communities' donations to the department that allow us to perform our everyday business, and for that the department would like to show its thanks and appreciation to the community for their amazing support." It is still true today 71 years after it was formed.