Emergency truck purchase driven by recent wildfires

The McCook Fire Department recently purchased a “brush truck” to be ready in case of another wildfire like the one that roared into northwest McCook in 2018, above.

File photo

McCOOK, Neb. —There are structural fires, then there are wildfires, a totally different animal.

That’s because a wildfire can change direction and engulf an area in a matter of seconds, due to burning embers blown by wind and landing in a tinderbox of dry pasture grass. In contrast, structural fires are generally stationary, requiring heavy-duty trucks with ladders and hoses to fight.

The recent spate of wildfires in McCook and surrounding areas in April concerned City of McCook Fire Chief Marc Harpham so much that buying a brush truck became an immediate priority for the city.

The used, 4 by 4 brush truck the fire department recently purchased and that the McCook City Council unanimously approved on Monday night is lighter than the city’s pumper/ladder truck, so it can be moved quickly out of the way of a wildfire, Harpham told the council. It was an emergency purchase, bypassing the usual request for bidders, due to supply chain issues and the scarcity of vehicles.

Harpham said the speed at which the wildfires can move, and the erratic nature of wildfires, is dangerous, not only for his crew, who could be surrounded by flames in minutes in a slow-moving pumper truck, but damaging to equipment as well. He cited an instance at one April wildfire when a burning ember melted a hole in a hose that had been placed on the ground for use.

He recalled the wildfire on the northwest edge of McCook in 2018, when the wind pushed the fire through a canyon of dry pasture grass and dead trees toward McCook, destroying one home and causing the evacuation of schools and residences.

“I saw things at that fire I never want to see again,” Harpham told the council. After the meeting, he explained how he and other firefighters saw the grass beside them and behind them suddenly burst into flames, unseen embers blown by the wind igniting the dry pasture grass.

In addition to moving quickly out of the way, the brush truck can also access areas that a pumper truck cannot, he said, such as going down canyons. There are areas in the city that would be difficult to access in case of a wildfire, Harpham said, such as parts of the Kelley Park walking trail and areas with a large number of trees and brush. The truck will also be able to help out in mutual aid outside the city and for other nearby communities.

The used, 2005 truck cost $57,750 and was paid for with $40,429 from the Health Resources and Services Administration Provider Relief Fund (HRSA), COVID relief funds awarded to the city fire department last year, with the rest of the funds coming from the city budget under the “Fire Apparatus Replacement” account.

Harpham said Billie Cole, Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department captain, helped him locate the used truck. It comes with a 300-gallon water tank and pump and another 300 water gallon tank, that can be used on a vehicle with a flatbed. The truck is also capable of using foam, that allows water to permeate burning grass.

The threat of wildfires has been dampened somewhat by the recent rain, but that can go as quickly as it came, Harpham said. Fireworks in July are always a concern and dry conditions are a given in Southwest Nebraska.

“Unfortunately, I think we’re going to see more and more of these wildfires, Harpham said.