Fire Onboard

There is a feeling of real panic when the grass on your mower catches fire 500 feet from your house and you have no expendable liquid nearby to quench the flames. Even my bladder was empty.

It happened again. It was just over 5 years ago that I nearly burned up my “neighborhood” when dry grass touched my mower engine and caught fire. This morning, it was slightly different. The dry grass was packed tight into the mower deck, and the friction from the rubber belt and metal pulleys started the fire.

I smelled it first- that crisp burning “something’s not right” smell. I pulled over, got off the mower, and saw smoke start pouring from the mower deck. I did the only thing I could think to do- I grabbed the burning grass with my bare hands and pulled it out. Miraculously I wasn’t burned or hurt at all.

I took of my flip-flop and smacked down the flames, as well as smothered the smoldering grass in the mower deck.

Disaster averted. Lesson learned. Again.