I live in a rural area, on a large ranch. Our beautiful home is surrounded by pastures with tall, lush grasses and peacefully grazing cattle. And I came home yesterday to a horrific, heart-sinking sight. A sight that strikes fear in the heart of every rancher.

I pulled into my driveway and saw smoke and flames. A grass fire,  right there by our front gate. It was small - it had probably started less than 2 minutes ago. I pulled out my cell phone to alert my husband - and then saw him running down the driveway with a shovel, and dragging garden hoses.

 "CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT!" He yells.

I call. The operator says she'll dispatch someone. I thank her - beg them to hurry - and hang up.

I start using the shovel, digging up dirt and throwing it on the small patches of flames. He starts spraying what he can get to. Although our road is very quiet with little traffic, those that do drive by stop to help. One gentleman is beating the flames with a sweatshirt. But it's getting away from us, and spreading like crazy.

The fire department had a response time of 15 minutes. It felt like 15 years. We were doing everything we could, and actually got alot of it under control before the FD got there. Thank God there was little to no wind. It could have been so much worse, as it was moving into a pasture we haven't grazed off yet - so the tall grass would have gone up immediately.

I would say that at least half of the people in town smoke. I would bet money that this fire started as a result of some idiot throwing a cigarette butt out the window. I see it happen all the time.

The moral of my post is this: If you smoke, or you know someone who does, please don't throw your cigarette butts out the window. Please.