Hiller property blaze

POMEROY–Fire fighters and neighbors teamed up to save the Hiller Family homestead's structures Saturday, July 27, 2024. The fire cause is undetermined, three structures were threatened of which only one received fire damage.

The Hiller LLC property fire began in the Dutch Flat area down in the canyon where the homestead property is situated. The early Saturday afternoon fire rapidly headed up the canyon to the out ground above, and wheat fields beyond.

"Fire remains underdetermined and three good buildings saved," said James Cleveland, Garfield County Fire District No. 1 Chief. "We are up about five percent (5%) overall for fires this year," he continued.

Four tractors came with disks, tracing a fire line above the perimeter of the draw and out ground, preventing the blaze from getting into the standing wheat, next to the out ground, and any grain loss.

"At the end of the canyon was pasture [out ground] where the fire line was made preventing the fire from spreading further into Pomeroy," said Barabara (Hiller) Carlton. "The fire got into the orchard and right up to the corner of the barn before fire crews put out the flames, saving the building.

Unfortunately, the fruit trees did not fare so well, she said.

Pomeroy [Garfield County] Fire Department was there with five units plus one Forest Service engine and a contract engine, mopping up hot spots for hours.

This place was the original 1800s Hiller farm homestead. Due to lack of water and severe winters, the family moved to town in the 1900s. "My grandparents passed away at a young age leaving my father, a very young man at the time, to tend the farm," said Carlton. "The homestead is precious to me and I'm so very grateful it was saved."