The Fourth of July is usually celebrated with American Flags, fireworks, and fun-filled times with family. But on July 3rd, Basalt Fire Deputy Chief Cleve Williams was in a fire meeting at Station 42 when his crew got a call of a fire growing on a ridge above the Willits subdivision.
“It started with someone shooting illegal rounds at a shooting range,” the 28-year-veteran recalled. “We were on scene pretty quick and it was already out of control by the time we got there.”
In nearly three decades spent fighting fires, Williams had never seen a wildland fire like the Lake Christine fire.
Basalt Fire Chief and long-time friend Scott Thompson was keeping track of the weather as the day continued.
“We had no idea that the wind event on July 4 was going to happen, so it was very reactive how we had to deal with it,” Thompson explained. “We had been up for over 36 hours fighting fire, so we were getting ready to put people to bed for the night.”
According to Thompson, wildfires normally climb to higher grounds and die down at night, but this one grew more powerful and made “an incredible run downhill”. It then crossed the valley, heading straight towards the small mountain town of El Jebel.
As the fire made the unpredictable run, the firefighters would have twenty minutes to evacuate a trailer park and the nearby neighborhood of Missouri Heights-- the subdivision where Williams and his family lives.
With no time to spare, Williams ran to his home to warn his wife, leaving her only minutes to grab some family photos before evacuating.
Firefighters then began to prepare for the incoming flames. They set engines behind the house and ran hoses to the front, but they didn’t burn out around the home.
“I think neither one of us believed what happened was going to happen,” said Thompson.
Ultimately, the flames were too much, and Williams had to make the difficult call to move his crew back.
“Right then, it wasn’t very difficult because the fire was moving up to the neighbor’s house and I thought we could save it,” said Williams.
Williams and his crew did save his neighbor’s house. While they were protecting that home, Williams glanced back at his own home and snapped a couple of photos as it was engulfed in flames. Other than what his wife was able to grab, the home was a complete loss.
Since losing his home, Williams, his wife and teenage son have been staying in a motor home and at his mother’s home, who is a retired firefighter herself.Their daughter is away at college in California. Williams said he also bought a mobile home that will be put on their lot while they work on plans to rebuild.
Williams, soft-spoken and humble, choked back tears when talking about losing the home he built with his own hands. They often hosted parties and get-togethers for the Basalt Fire Station and other friends outside of the department.
When Thompson was nominated as one of 75 First Responders to be honored at the Broncos season-opener against the Seattle Seahawks, he asked for Williams to take his place.
“Cleve deserves a break right now,” Thompson added. “Cleve deserves to have something to take his mind off of everything he’s been going through for the last couple of months and it’s just special.”
Williams is a life-long Broncos fan but had never been to a game.
The first responders, made up of EMT's, police officers, and firefighters around the state, were honored in the pre-game ceremonies with a special announcement and the privilege of unfurling the American flag for the playing of our nation’s anthem.
Williams took in all the sights and sounds of Broncos Stadium at Mile High, a smile stretching from ear-to-ear the entire time. Thompson had the same smile on his face as he watched his friend and coworker experience some much-deserved fun.
“This is awesome,” Williams said over-and-over.
Once the anthem was done, the first responders shook hands with several members of the Seahawks, including quarterback Russell Wilson.
A rather hot day for September, Thompson came prepared with a change of shorts and a shirt while Williams looked forward to buying a Broncos jersey, although he didn’t know whose jersey to buy.
The duo then headed up for the section to watch the Broncos capture their first win of the season.
