Farmers and ranchers increasingly do double-duty as firefighters
Story by Christine Souza • Photos by Lori Eanes
California’s fire season is starting earlier and ending later each year, and dry conditions and a heavy fuel load on the landscape have increased the number and severity of wildfires. This, plus a growing population, has created an urgent need for more firefighters. Of these volunteer and paid firefighters, many are farmers and ranchers who dedicate time to small, rural communities. Whether feeding cattle or pruning trees, these men and women are ready at a moment’s notice to grab their gear, jump into the truck and respond not only to fires, but also to auto accidents, medical emergencies, hazardous-materials calls and more. “You know, beep, beep, beep in the middle of the night and I get up and drive to the firehouse and respond to the call,” said Kyle Farmer, a full-time volunteer with the Potter Valley Fire Department in Mendocino County. There, about 30 firefighters and officer volunteers serve a local population of about 5,000. “A lot of times we have radios with us,” Farmer said. “I have a pager, too, because working as a cattle rancher, I was going to lose my radio pretty fast if I carried a radio all the time.” Farmer, who works for his wife’s family’s Magruder Ranch, which specializes in grass-fed cattle and lamb, said he joined the local f ire department as soon as he and wife Grace relocated to Potter Valley after their marriage eight years ago.
Many working in agriculture, such as Mendocino County rancher Kyle Farmer, above, dedicate time as first responders to support rural communities.
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