Leadville’s George Simmons has been a member of the Rural Fire Service (RFS) for 25 years but said no amount of experience could prepare someone for a fire like Sir Ivan.
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The senior deputy captain of Leadville RFS and his crew worked long hours on the ground throughout the ordeal that destroyed 35 homes and an estimated 5056 animals.
“We were in places in trucks Saturday night I never want to go again,” he said. “I know this place pretty well and even I was disorientated.”
On Saturday, February 11, Mr Simmons was of the belief fire fighters had the blaze contained, but that Sunday’s catastrophic conditions brought it undone.
“When the wind came it was basically all over. It was just a matter of protecting people and their assets,” he said.
He had big decisions to make as homes and properties were threatened.
“It’s hard to make those decisions,” he said. “Whatever you do it’s going to affect someone. It's very hard to put those emotions aside.”
Mr Simmons recalls the shoulder-high flames that raced toward his crew as they fought to defend homes.
“I saw what they looked like when they came out of it, and it wasn’t good,” he said.
“They did an amazing job. It was incredible.”
He praised the efforts of pilots who played a vital role in containing the fire, the grader drivers who went above and beyond expectations and the women who kept bellies full.
“The ladies at the Leadville shed got a bit of a reputation for really good food,” he laughed.
“They were there just as long as us firies, sometimes longer.”
He said the attention now turns to those who have experienced big losses in the farming country.
“The big worry is people who’re burnt out, we need to focus on them now,” he said.
More reports P8 and 9