Much has been said and written about the tragic wildfires in Nebraska. March is always our disaster month, and with ongoing drought and incessant winds, this was only a matter of time. As of this writing, there are more fires jumping highways and burning buildings in small towns. It’s reported that one large absentee landowner in the Panhandle apparently wouldn’t allow firefighters on his land which allowed it to spread and gain momentum.
Our ranches have been spared so far, but we know that isn’t a guarantee for the future. What is pretty much guaranteed is that people out here step up to help in any way possible, from fighting the fires to relief efforts in the aftermath. Loads if hay began moving as soon as the fires had passed, and neighbors brought trailers and trucks to move livestock to wherever there was grass to be had, even if the grass was badly needed by the landowner who shared it. People who were already short of hay dug into their piles to donate some. Truckers didn’t turn in a bill and paid for fuel out of their own pockets. One staging area put out the word not to bring more food and supplies for the moment, because they had run out of places to store it.
We heard that some of the federal folks assigned to help, said, “We have nothing to offer, it’s been taken care of. Never seen anything like it.”
Everyone is tired. Everyone is worried. But no one is giving up. Giving and helping are in our genes. It’s just what we do out here. There’s no shortage of room for prayers, so if you have any to spare, send them along.