Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Last July 4, 2022, I had neighbors set off 30-40 roman candles that also went over my land, and the neighbor to the south of them, Jim’s, that had dry, raked and wind rowed hay. My pasture had a stand of tall dry western wheat grass that was headed out and dry on the top and starting to dry at the bottom; it would have burned.

My ranch fence line is only about 500 ft. from where they were firing off the fireworks. The embers from the fireworks were going over and on my land, neighbor Jim’s and onto Vision Peak, National Forest land. They have 40-50 acres, and their fireworks were going all over everyone neighboring them’s land.

Embers have started fires over a quarter of a mile from where they are shot off. The four people at the fireworks, two older adults (60+) and their two adult sons, the only people there, when asked if any of them had ever fought fire, the answer was “no”.

Where the embers were going on the National Forest, is very steep, only accessible by foot fire crews, very hard to fight fire on. I experienced it about 30 years ago, there was a small lightning-caused fire about a quarter mile from our fence line.

My dad knew the Forest Service had several lightning caused fires and were busy so we went up and put it out. Very difficult, heavily timbered, straight up, but we didn’t want it to spread.

Last summer, the pine trees and oaks were extremely dry, very volatile as shown at the Fish Fire that burned a few weeks later south of Sundance. The trees exploded in front of the fire, they were that dry.

To risk starting a fire on the National Forest, or your neighbor’s land, by fireworks, burning trach, slash or whatever, is definitely bringing you a lawsuit for damage and the cost to put out the fire.

When I went up to the neighbors to ask them to stop, I was told it was their land and they would do what they wanted. I did get mad, used some bad language, but it felt like they were purposefully trying to light the whole country on fire.

They have only lived here 3-4 years and have not dealt with fire like us local ranchers have. It sucks fighting fire.

I’m old and not able to do it, that really scares me. I love my horses and animals, and don’t want to deal with my cows burning, not only emotionally, but financially.

The livestock here thought it was World War III, scared them, they moved as far away as they could. While I was trying to talk to the neighbors, my cows were bawling and moving their calves. They were right below the fireworks.

It severely scares animals, all the cattle in the area bawled all night and were scared until day break. The fireworks people will also be sued for animals going over fences and getting hurt.

I was thankful my horses were not near there. Vet expenses are high. I was up all night checking for fire and where my cattle were, all the neighboring cattle were also upset.

I’m 67 years old, have a bad leg, yet I had to deal with the possibility of fire on my ranch. I’m also very aware that there can be multiple fires on the Fourth of July, so getting firefighters can be a problem.

If you live out in the country, you need to be able to fight fire; getting on it quick is crucial. If you can’t fight the fire yourself, should you be doing something that could start a fire? Fighting fire is extremely hard – harder than anything you’ve ever done.

It is not right to shoot fireworks over other people’s land, very rude and disrespectful of your neighbors. Please have more consideration for you neighbors and firefighters this July Fourth.

Jackie Griffith