Defending The Indefensible
With a 60-year old firetruck, gear they purchased with their own personal funds and considerably more guts than brains, the volunteers of the Holy Jim Fire Department are waiting to fight the Santiago fire in California if it comes into Holy Jim Canyon. The Forest Service has told them that they are on their own and that nobody will be coming to help them if the fire reaches them. But they won't leave unless they are losing the fight.
Deep in the Cleveland National Forest, down 4 1/2 miles of rocky road in a canyon surrounded by sheer walls and choked with dry brush and trees, Mike, George, Tom, Dave, Big John and Gertrude are prepared to confront Orange County's Santiago fire.
The men are members of the Holy Jim Fire Department, about 20 volunteers in one of the most remote outposts fighting one of the worst Southern California wildfires. Gertrude is a 1947 pumper that earlier this week was in better condition than their other engine, which is only 30 years old.
The crew in Holy Jim Canyon is made up of mostly hikers and mountain bikers in their 40s and 50s who fell in love with the area's rugged beauty but who live elsewhere. With so many fronts in the fire battle, they're fully aware the cavalry may not be coming.
"There are primary fronts, secondary fronts, tertiary fronts — and then there's us," said firefighter Rourke Oakland, 48. "There's indefensible space. We're undefendable."
The Santiago fire has stalked the canyon all week. On Friday, flames chewed up the backcountry less than two miles away. A shift in wind threatened to overrun the community of 49 wood-and-rock cabins built in the 1920s on Forest Service land to expose city folk to the wonders of nature.
On a scale of 1 to 10, the fire danger in Holy Jim Canyon clocks in at about 20. Its narrow topography gives it the characteristics of a chimney. "Any fire that started here would come racing down this canyon at 50 mph," said firefighter George Willis.
They have an evacuation plan ready should it be needed. But they're trying to save a quirky little area that's irreplaceable. Best of luck, folks.
By NortonPete, Saturday, 27 October , 2007 @ 4:41 pm
I am a 10 year Vol Fire Co member but retired. I think that since 90% of this nation is protected by volunteers, that we should support even the smallest volunteer effort.
Get on the frequency and call for help, I did many times. It should respond. I did.