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Dealing with many aspects of a wildland fire requires people with a variety of skills. On Sunday, August 25, engine crews traveled through portions of Crouch. They were checking out access and becoming more familiar with roads, residences, and natural features in the unlikely event the fire were to advance into that area. Engines rolled down the Middle Fork Road, turning off into some of the neighborhoods of Crouch as part of the Structure Protection Group.

One of their tasks was to check bridges to see if they could handle the size and weight of a variety of firefighting vehicles. Damon Anderson, with Engine 191 Outback from Utah, explained, "Today we're looking at properties where we could assess driveways, look at what's around the structures, and maybe get water and Mark III pumps into those areas in the event the fire would come into this section of the town."

The firefighters walked the neighborhoods, talking with residents. They wanted to make sure homeowners had current information on the fire. They also wanted to reassure them that firefighters are ready to respond to their homes if necessary.

"A lot of these homeowners have cut grass around their properties, done a lot of their own, delimbing and making their structures and properties a lot more defensible," Anderson continued. "That makes our job a lot easier for the event if it were to come through the area."

If you see engine crews traveling through your neighborhood, know they're out there working to keep you safe.

See photos below of Anderson's engine crew making home visits. (Note: due to the size of the images, each one may take several seconds to load.)

• Crew members from E191 Outback (UT) assess a bridge to ensure it could handle the size and weight of a variety of firefighting vehicles.
   
• Part of the Structure Protection Group walks a bridge on the Middle Fork Road to assess its weight limit.
   
• Anderson knocks on a door to introduce himself and visit with homeowners.
   
• A firefighter with the Structure Protection Group visits with homeowners on their property.