Firefighters do a great service

Last year’s blessing has become this year’s curse, but we can all be thankful that we have lots of dedicated emergency workers ready to respond when danger erupts. Everyone was so grateful for the relatively generous moisture that pelted West Texas last spring and summer. It is a rare year when the countryside is a radiant green and there is enough vegetation for ranchers to have a good crop of cattle grazing.

Alas, along with all that greenery came huge crops of weeds, long native grass and growth of underbrush. And when the rains went away, all that vegetation became tinder dry.

So now, the Permian Basin has hundreds of thousands of land just waiting to be engulfed by fire. And the usual capricious West Texas winds that are so prevalent this time of year are just increasing the threat.

We saw just how scary those conditions can be on Feb. 8 when a grass fire that apparently originated in Andrews County and spread to Martin and Midland counties consumed almost 9,000 acres. The blaze threatened populated areas north of Midland and caused Highway 349 between Midland and Lamesa to be closed for several hours.

Only through the dedicated and expert efforts of a number of area fire departments and the Texas Forest Service was the blaze brought under control before it had a chance to damage homes and businesses.

Professional and volunteer firefighters from Odessa, Midland, Andrews, Loraine and Martin County quickly rushed to battle the raging fire. Sheriff’s deputies, police officers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers also responded to handle traffic control and evacuation duties.

All in all, it was a marvelous display of emergency preparedness. The fire was brought under control without injuries or significant property damage.

The firefighters worked efficiently and safely together. They displayed an expertise that allowed them to attack the most dangerous limbs of the blaze and finally conquer the burning beast.

But that was just one of the bigger battles of an ongoing war. Most every day, firefighters are summoned to douse grass fires. They deal with blazes caused by careless smokers, defective vehicles spreading sparks alongside roadways and fires caused by residents ignoring the burn bans enacted as a matter of caution.

Fortunately, most of these incidents are nipped in the bud before they can grow into something as big as the Feb. 8 inferno.

But the potential for other out-of-control range fires will exist as long as current conditions reign. And we probably have another typical windy West Texas spring in front of us.

At least we can be assured we’ve got a lot of dedicated first responders who have the skills and dedication to handle wildfire situations when they get out of control.

For this, we are grateful. Fighting these kinds of fires can be tricky and dangerous. We’re just glad there are plenty of dedicated people willing to undertake this daunting challenge. Thanks for your diligence, your prompt responses and your services when they’re needed in crucial moments.