Even though our fire trucks and tankers carry some water, it gets used up pretty quickly on a structure fire. Access to a water supply is crucial. But what happens when there are no fire hydrants nearby?

That was the case last night, when CSVFD volunteers and paid staff responded to a structure fire, along with crews from Back Creek Fire & Rescue Company 11, Bent Mountain Volunteer Fire Dept, and Mount Pleasant VFD.

A vacant house atop a hill in a rural area was on fire at the end of a long, gravel road. Fortunately, Brush 3 was able to provide a water supply by drafting out of a nearby creek. Brush 3 refilled tanker trucks from Cave Spring and Mount Pleasant, which shuttled water up to the fire.

The house, which had been vacant for 15 years, was a total loss, but there were no injuries.