foregoing any further assistance I may need. Up I went with a boost. We walked a slow pace, time seemed to stand still. I moved my head in slow motion to the east. I could see dark plumes toward Loup Loup, and straight ahead toward Benson Creek and then Carlton. The giant smoke mushrooms were signs of engorgement. I thought of all the wildlife, all the trees, I thought of my grandmother and how much I was like her, how much I missed her, how she lived through the Peshtigo fire in Wisconsin, that I never tired of her stories and that I wouldn’t get to tell her my story about the great fire in the Methow Valley, ever. It was war and this was the Old West. I was not in Twisp, I was in Silver. I heard the echoing of my horse’s feet striking the pavement. The air struck a tombstone heat wave when Doc suddenly let go of Handsome’s lead and he clambered past us, but the rope was in my hand. Handsome bolted wildly, cutting me and Quincy off, colliding in the front. Quincy reared as the rope fell down near his feet, stepping on it, and with a twist and jerk, off I fell. I slammed so hard I must have left my body. My helmet cracked and rolled off into the ditch and the wind was knocked out of me. One deep breath relieved any pain I had in my right leg as if it were trading places. What the hell is going on here? Shelley, Shelley are you all right? It was Mike. What are you doing? Why didn’t you wait for me? You’re going the wrong direction. Get in the Suburban. God damn it I’d like to hit him, what did they do to you? We’re going to the hospital, now! Dr. Merrick? Can I see the x-rays? You have three broken ribs young lady. You’re very lucky that your lungs weren’t punctured. With the roads closed, not being able to make it to Brewster, you almost landed in Beaver Creek Cemetery. I guess I’ve got, one more silver dollar, Dr. Merrick. Do you ever miss your grandfather, Dr. M? ❖ Shelley L. Block lives in Twisp. www.MethowValleyNews.com
Two miles from Pateros, a welcome sign on Highway 97 went up in flames. PHOTO COURTESY DAVID GROSS
A never-ending night Pateros neighbors joined forces to save their homes By Joanna Bastian
R
ALPH Buchanan and his wife, Wendy, live in the town of Pateros, next door to Nicole and Ryan Smith. Their neighborhood comprises the first row of houses along the hills of Pateros. They have expansive views of the lake and the tidy bedroom community. On Thursday evening, Ralph, Ryan, and family friend Sam Shaw from Brewster watched in horror as the fires crested the hill behind the Pateros water towers around 6:30 p.m. “The fire crews were at Watson Draw and Indian Dan. I knew there was nobody around to fight this,”
Ralph Buchanan said. He grew up in Pateros, and fought diligently that night along the front lines to save as many homes as he could. Ryan Smith drives water trucks on fires during the summer, and had access to a water truck belonging to Bill Hoffman. Buchanan, Smith and Shaw worked throughout the night to keep the flames at bay. The vinyl siding on the Buchanans’ home melted and warped in the heat. “I didn’t think that night would ever end,” Ralph Buchanan said. “It was pitch black, the lights, the sirens …” His voice trailed off and he looked at the ground while shaking his head. “Afterwards, it was tough being reminded every single day. There was a wind, sand, ash storm every day.” Nicole Smith was out of state visiting family during the fires. All she could do was listen helplessly from afar. “Coming home, the hardest part was the aftermath,” she said. “Cleaning every day, and your home
is still full of ash. Every time the sirens sound off it makes your heart clench. A little bit of PTSD [posttraumatic stress disorder].” Sirens on top of the school and city hall made everyone anxious throughout the following weeks. Wendy Buchanan noted an additional difficulty after the fires. “It is hard to find a contractor,” she said. “They are really busy.” The Buchanans’ home and yard are immaculate. The grass and bushes are neatly trimmed. The flowerbeds are tended. Their front yard along Ives Street just recently returned to normal. As the city cut down burned trees, the slash piles were placed in their front yard. “It was hard to see the piles after the cleanup left in front of the house, for months. They [the city] just now cleaned it up,” she said. “It is nice to see new life after the fire,” said Nicole Smith. “New houses, new siding, green shoots coming up, dead trees coming down.” ❖ TRIAL BY FIRE 63