Landers indicated a section on the map shaded in red pencil. “This represents the burned-out area, as it stands at this time. Roughly, the front is about twelve hundred feet across, and she’s spreading fast.”
Dick Fellows whistled. “I’ll say she’s spreading fast. I don’t figure it was more than a hundred feet when we pulled out.”
The fire boss bent over the map and rested both elbows on the table. “She’s got all the makings of a Class E fire all right.”
“What’s a Class E fire?” Sandy asked.
“Forest fires are rated in five classes, A,B,C,D, and E, according to the size of the burned-out area,” Landers explained. “Class E is three hundred acres and up. This one could be a first-rate Class E if it gets away from us. So we can’t afford to take chances.”
He studied the map thoughtfully. “The way I see it we’ve got to give her plenty of room. If we can hold her down to two hundred acres, I’ll be plenty satisfied.” He ran his finger along a ridge that ran off diagonally to the road in a northeast direction on the right flank of the fire. Then he penciled an X at the foot of the ridge directly in line with the head of the fire.
“Our best chance is to start backfiring here, about a half mile due east. That ridge is a natural firebreak because it’s mostly rock with only scrubby vegetation. It won’t take more than a skeleton crew to work that side.”
He addressed two of the gang bosses: “Harry and Ed, you boys take ten men and a bulldozer and start setting things up on that ridge. A three-thousand-foot line should do it.”
Now from the foot of the ridge, he drew a line extending in a southeast direction, so that between them they formed an angled pocket into which the fire was advancing. “We’ll backfire for another three thousand feet on this line. The rest of you gang bosses will round up your men and get to work on that immediately.”
He singled out Dick Fellows. “Dick, you and your three young friends can help out on the south line, if you will, as fire scouts. General Steele, I’d appreciate it if you would help me get things organized here.”