Use caution with fire on Fourth of July

Happy Independence Day! The first observation of this holiday was in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, but it wasn't declared a legal holiday until 1941. Fireworks have been a part of the traditional celebrations since they began, but remember they are illegal in Nevada. Did you know that the United States imported $216 million worth of fireworks from China in 2006 or that Japan buys more fireworks than any other country?

About 100 years ago, people started becoming concerned with the safety of fireworks and many states and communities have become more restrictive in their tolerance of fireworks unless they are being set off in a controlled environment. When the fireworks burst open, sparks fly everywhere and it only takes one on a dry piece of cheatgrass and we have the makings for a local disaster. We've seen wildfires start with just a spark from a lawnmower hitting a rock and even a golf club swinging through the rough. It's easy enough to say that it wouldn't happen to you, but the truth is there are no guarantees when it comes to wayward sparks. Safety should be our first and foremost concern and it doesn't hurt to be a little extra cautious, too.

If you're going to watch the public display at the various locations around us, you can play a little math game while watching the fireworks. To find out how far you are from the fireworks, count the seconds between the flash of light and boom that reaches your ears. Remember that one mile equals 5,280 feet and sound travels at 1,100 feet per second. Count the seconds and multiply them by the speed of sound to determine your distance. Of course, if it is more that 5,280 feet, you divide by that number to determine the number of miles between you and the fireworks. It's OK to use a calculator.

Please be mindful of any campfires you may start over the summer or actually, anytime. We were driving over Sonora Pass a few weeks ago and came across an abandoned campsite. The smoke was visible from quite a distance and when we got closer, we could see the logs flaming. It appeared as if the people had used a sock to start the fire and left it on the edge of the pile of logs. As the wind increased, the hot embers reignited the logs. It took us 30 minutes to cool the logs down enough with water from the stream and dirt from around the area so that we could be sure they would not reignite.

Our Ruhenstroth Volunteer Fire Department members will be setting up at the mailboxes soon to sell tickets for the annual barbecue on July 19. It's always a fun way to get together with your neighbors and to take time to thank the firefighters for all they do. There will be a DJ for dancing and lots of food and plenty of raffle prizes to either bid on or have a chance to win. Be sure to get your tickets " you don't want to miss this.

Have a ramblin' good week.

n To reach Gail Davis, e-mail RuhenstrothRamblings@yahoo.com or call 265-1947.