I have four large red oak trees in my back yard. Rather than rake the leaves, I try to keep them mulched with my riding mover. I went over the entire yard yesterday, but the yard was covered again this afternoon; in fact, there were more than yesterday. There were so many that they began to bunch up between the right front wheel and the deck. But when I made a hard left turn, they would come out and I would make a loop back to mulch the bunch.
A lot of the leaves blow over my house and accumulate in the front, so I went around there and started on it. Apparently, I didn't make enough hard left turns, and the leaves got up against the muffler and caught on fire. I saw the smoke and started raking them out. I pulled the mower on to the driveway, ran and got a bucket of water, and threw it under the mower, putting out the fire.
Unfortunately, some of the burning leaves fell out in the yard and caught more leaves and the dormant Bermuda grass on fire. It didn't take long before I saw that I couldn't put this out with a bucket. I ran to the house and told my wife to get the garden hose, which took a few minutes to get out and hook up. Meanwhile, I am running back and forth between the hose bibb and the fire; the fire is gaining ground.
While this is going on, a lady in a car stopped and asked if I needed help. I said that I did and she called 911. About that time, my wife got the hose hooked up and I started spraying the edges of the burn, and was able to put out all that I could reach with the hose. But the one hose wasn't long enough, so the wife went to get the neighbor's hose, which I added on to mine and soon had the fire out.
That's when the fire trucks showed up, all three of them...and a police car to control traffic...and a city worker in a pick-up. All were just in time to see a hot, nasty, old man with a garden hose looking sheepish. At least, I felt sheepish. The fire chief decided that since they were already here, they should do something, so they uncoiled a hose and sprayed over the burned area.
So, the damage to the mower was minor: a melted wire loom and a scorched hood. The yard has a really ugly corner about 20' by 40'. And I have egg on my face.
But, I have learned a lesson. And this year, I won't feel quite as bad when I write the check for my city taxes.
A lot of the leaves blow over my house and accumulate in the front, so I went around there and started on it. Apparently, I didn't make enough hard left turns, and the leaves got up against the muffler and caught on fire. I saw the smoke and started raking them out. I pulled the mower on to the driveway, ran and got a bucket of water, and threw it under the mower, putting out the fire.
Unfortunately, some of the burning leaves fell out in the yard and caught more leaves and the dormant Bermuda grass on fire. It didn't take long before I saw that I couldn't put this out with a bucket. I ran to the house and told my wife to get the garden hose, which took a few minutes to get out and hook up. Meanwhile, I am running back and forth between the hose bibb and the fire; the fire is gaining ground.
While this is going on, a lady in a car stopped and asked if I needed help. I said that I did and she called 911. About that time, my wife got the hose hooked up and I started spraying the edges of the burn, and was able to put out all that I could reach with the hose. But the one hose wasn't long enough, so the wife went to get the neighbor's hose, which I added on to mine and soon had the fire out.
That's when the fire trucks showed up, all three of them...and a police car to control traffic...and a city worker in a pick-up. All were just in time to see a hot, nasty, old man with a garden hose looking sheepish. At least, I felt sheepish. The fire chief decided that since they were already here, they should do something, so they uncoiled a hose and sprayed over the burned area.
So, the damage to the mower was minor: a melted wire loom and a scorched hood. The yard has a really ugly corner about 20' by 40'. And I have egg on my face.
But, I have learned a lesson. And this year, I won't feel quite as bad when I write the check for my city taxes.