In the late afternoon on Sunday February 26, 2023, the DMR was asked to assist the Fort Davis Fire Department with a fire that was started by a downed power pole. Named the Solar Park Fire, the fire was north and west of the riding stables toward the Sproul Ranch of Highway 118.

On the way to the Solar Park fire our firemen in B71 spotted a fire just north of the Point of rocks picnic area, on the West side of highway 166, on the Largent Ranch.  Our B71 was first on site with the rancher and his men to work the fire. B72 arrived a few minutes later.  The fire was small, thankfully, but the danger was the down power lines. They were all tangled up in the burning brush. We had to wait for AEP, (power company) to turn off the power and cut the lines. We had mopped up all around the power lines till we were given the okay. Roy Largent, owner rancher, asked if having a maintainer come and cut around the perimeter of the fire would help. I said a quick yes please! As soon as that was done our crew refilled water from the POA tinder, T71 parked on the road. Firemen Billy Moore and former Fire Chief Darell Fellers brought the tinder at the request of Fort Davis Fire Chief Pat Olivas.

We then all proceeded to the Solar Park fire.  We arrived right before sunset and were told to stage at a specific location and wait for further instructions from Chief Olivas, to see where we would be best needed. As we waited, we were able to put out some smaller flair ups close to our location.

When the radio call came for us to replace a Fort Davis crew at the Solar Park Fire, we were ready. Fort Davis Fire Chief Olivas told me to position our trucks along a dirt road. We were to wait for the fire to work its way up the side of the mountain to us and hold the line there. He said it was vital to hold the fire there or the fire would burn up and over the mountain and into the Limpia Crossing subdivision.  

I had two teams, Aaron Rasbach, Jan Van Liere and Edward Eaton on B71 and Wendi Bates, Stacey Rasbach and myself of B72. Even as Fire Chief, this was my first really big fire. Wendi and Stacey had a few smaller fires under their belt. Aaron has structure experience but this was his first wildland fire. Jan and Ed suited up for the first time that day! Aaron and Stacey were the nozzle operators and the rest of us were making sure our hose line did not get caught up in the brush. We watched and waited as the fire crept up to us and then bam it was on us. What an amazing job they did. Everyone working together as team. We were able to stop the fire there on the road. We had to go back for water and then went back out again. I swapped places with Billy Moore so that he would get some much needed experience. We left one team still working and the rest of us headed back to the station around midnight. B72 had developed some pump issues.

I could not have asked for more from our team of firefighters.

Edna Queen – Fire Chief

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