Here is an article written by Marylyn Motherbear Scott and published in The Ukaih Daily Journal on Sunday, June 29, 2008.
Our family home is at the flickering tip of the tongue of the sleeping dragon, the leading edge of the fire on Radical Ridge at Greenfield Ranch, called the Jack Smith fire. My son Emrys Scott was born in our hand-built home, in the back-to-the-land days, and now lives in that same house with his wife Freyja and their two year old daughter, Sophia, also born at home.Today he is standing ready, the fire only a thousand feet away, defending the space.This is the seventh day for Emrys, fighting fires, first at the Dress home, then at our land, where it now encroaches. On Monday when the fire turned toward us, Emrys returned home from Bob and Lynn's to fightthe fire at our end. Several other folks, some of whom lived up our way, some from Sister's Ridge, and a friend from Redwood Valley, and friends from Sebastopol and Lake County, all went up to Radical Ridge. Our family network, all of whom were raised on Greenfield, became activated. On Monday, I spoke to Emrys when he was at the line, heard his breath working as he worked whatever implement he was using to create the fire break. He assured me he was fine and then said, "gotta go, mom, gotta do this". It was good to hear his voice, to know where he was and what he was doing. Something happened to me in that moment, however; some information was given beyond the words. I didn't know who was up there with him at the time, but I knew there were others. What I did know with every cell in my body was that help was needed, ... more strong arms, and professional firefighters. I called my daughter, Trynt Young, in San Diego, a longtime Santee firefighter. She read the maps and told me that the fire was extremely dangerous and they should get out of there. I then crossed over all the advice against making emergency-type calls, tying up the lines, etc. I reached CalFire, told the urgent story of volunteer firefighter, parents with small children at home, facing the fire, wanting to save the family homes, endangered. They told me to call 911. I did. CDFresponded. Emrys was on the line when the fire sprung up close. He felt the heat and left the site, taking his group to safety with him. It was later that I heard that half a dozen other volunteers got caught inside the fire. One of the more experienced mountain men led the group out through the already burned places to safety. These people were courageous, attempting to do what brave people do, face danger when needed, sometimes not knowing how it would go or where it would end up, working with their wits and their bodies. The professionals came to the scene to save lives, and, thank goodness, have stayed ever since. I believe (without any confirmation) that they saw the need once there, saw the extent to which the resident volunteers would work to save their homes, assessed the dangers to lifeand homes, and stayed. CDF has been resourceful, supportive and appreciative of the volunteers. Commendations go to Captain MichaelMaynard and his crew for the way this under-resourced firefight is being handled. Recent communications say that with greater resources, the firefightersmight take an aggressive stand against the fire. Without resources andtanker planes, it's a waiting game. A waiting game with lots of prayer and gratitude playing into it.Three of my children were born at home on the Ranch, two of my grandchildren. All six of my children were raised there and many of my thirteen grandchildren spend precious time on the Ranch, experiencingthe old days and ways. Being on the land is a great teacher. Standing in the family home brings teachings of its own. Each is giving to the effort what he or she can, sisters and brothers keeping each other in intimate touch, searching on-line for sometimeshidden information, writing posts and blogs, networking to stay current with the latest information. Day to day, minute to minute, the fire can change. Late reports say that as other fires are contained, more help is coming to our aid as the firefighters get released; but just today we heard that usually they would have ten times the number of workers for fires of this magnitude. An urgent request has been made by the Governor, for a Stateof Emergency to be declared in California by the President, and forfederal money and people be sent to Mendocino County. Please add your voices to the call: Representatives, Senators, the Governor, the White House. Following is an on-site report. There have been others since, but this one carries a certain poignancy Thursday, June 26, 2008 fromLasara at 5:40 P.M She's up at the property with a few other people, clearing more trimming debris. Emrys is cutting a fire break up the ridge on the opposite side of thecanyon across Jack Smith Creek with the excavator. It's not been windy todayThey have one fire crew on hand, the capt. of which said he was told he should expect to be there 30 days.Lasara said the fire appears to be making a slow, inevitable march toward the fire lines. It is burning slow, and moving slow, not usually climbing into the trees. It has passed Soren's cabin but a fire break around it may have held.Firefighters still consider making an aggressive push to contain it,but it seems unlikely with limited resources and no air tankers.Otherwise it's just kind of a slow torture at this point, unless thefire changes, until it hits a fire break and a stand is made. posted on June 26, 2008 by Tobias Young
