We don't have hurricanes or tornadoes or floods (I'm on top of a hill) but we do have fires. And this year's shaping up to be the worst I've seen here in over 25 years.

It was an extremely dry winter; snowpack is about 40% of normal - the lowest ever recorded here; below 70% is the drought threshold. Boise metro is under a Drought Emergency Ordinance (I believe such things when the golf courses turn brown. If they stay green, it's a political emergency).

We've had several small fires in the region - early this year - and I live at the edge of a sagebrush/cheat grass covered hillside.

We had a fire come upslope in this neighborhood a few years ago. Five fire depts and a sort-of paved road stopped the advance - Had it hopped the road ... but it didn't. One guy had flames up to the edge of his newly laid sod 10 ft off his house. No damage to structures.

I've played this game before ...

$1400 of insurance.

Obtained one - with more available - 255 gallon tank. It (will) sit near an eavestrough to funnel rainwater into the tank (screened of course). [ a "please take it off our hands" bargain) ($400 if purchased). NPT drain fitting.

Through one end of a 2" suction hose with a strainer into the tank ... ($110)
Will drop hose and strainer in through the top - minimize debris.

And feed it into a 2" high-pressure trash pump such as this Northstar ($700) 135gpm, 94psi unit

Put a 2"-to-1½" reducer on the output ($25 ea) - cause the pump itself will empty that tank in 2 minutes running full bore

which connects to 100ft of 1½" fire hose ($110)

where I can control the flow of water through a brass fire nozzle ($40)

A bit above the equivalent of a USFS Type 6 fire truck (150 gal/50gpm/100psi/300ft hose). Not quite a Type 5 which carries 400 gal at 100psi at 50 gpm on a pickup frame comparable to a Ford F550 4x4.

I don't need the truck.

It's what the pros would show up with for initial attack before the heavy stuff arrives ... and $1400 is cheap compared to what a house fire - even a minor one - would cost.

One does not simply open the nozzle and let the water fly ...

Idaho became the 43rd state on July 3, 1890.
George Washington took command of the rebel army in 1775
General Lee headed back south after a failed visit to Pennsylvania in 1863.

Brian Jones (Rolling Stones) and Jim Morrision (Doors) died on this date 2 years apart (1969/1971)

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