by Rose Klemenok
It was a very warm day in the late fall,
The fire siren in Sierra City sounded the call.
A small fire in the roadside lush,
caused Sierra City and Downieville firemen to rush.
Late spring rain made a heavy fuel load,
when firemen arrived it had crossed the road.
As flames were whipped by heavy wind,
The Battle for Bassetts were about to begin.
While the hungry fire continued to rage,
hundreds of firemen got the page.
While deputies evacuated the folks on vacation,
firemen and equipment responded to Bassett Station.
Helicopters and airtankers were seen in the sky,
but the flames still reached thirty feet high.
As the fire got hotter trees began to explode,
our local CHP had to block the road.
As the flames headed for Highway 49,
a fireman yelled out, “Hold that line.”
Homes were threatened at Carvin Creek,
then the fire turned toward Haskill Peak.
All through the night they battled the blaze,
but at dawn’s early light through the smoky haze,
Bassett’s station had survived the night.
For the people there, it was a wonderful sight.