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Watch As This Farmer In A Tractor Outruns A Wildfire To Dig A Firebreak

John Fenton
/
youtube.com

Many people consider farming to be a risky endeavor. Earlier this week one Colorado farmer took it to the next level.

Eric Howard put his life on the line Monday, July 8 to stop a fire that broke out in an 80-acre hayfield in Brighton.

Jumping on his John Deere tractor, Howard raced through the field to dig a fire line to stop the spread of the blaze. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xyRObipka4

Video of the feat was captured by John Fenton and posted on YouTube. It shows Howard amid lots of black smoke, just a few feet away from the scorching line of fire. Not surprisingly, it quickly garnered more than 267,000 views.

The video got someinternational attention too – and lots of pro-con comments on whether or not Howard should have taken a risk like that.

Ultimately Howard was able to contain the blaze, although not before it reportedly burned 20-30 acres. It appears the fire may have been sparked by lightning.

Just another testament to the dry conditions this fire season in Colorado.

As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
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