When a Tree Caught Fire
Tsé Dáá K’áán Community
On the morning of September 28, our family experienced a frightening event when a tree near our home caught fire after coming into contact with a power line. It had been raining throughout the night and into the morning. Looking back, I believe the rain may have helped prevent the situation from becoming worse, especially since our home was so close to the tree.
Around 5 a.m., we awoke to a loud boom. When we looked outside, we saw a large orange-and-blue fireball coming from the tree. The sound was terrifying. We could hear what sounded like electricity crackling, along with the rain and distant thunder. We had never experienced anything like it, and we immediately began to panic.
Our first thought was to move the vehicles parked beneath the tree in case the fire spread. We also called the local police department to report what was happening. The dispatcher said she would notify an officer in the area and contact the fire station.
As we waited, we watched the fire and tried to decide what we would do if it spread toward our home. It was frightening not knowing what might happen next. Thankfully, the fire eventually began to die down.
A police officer arrived and told us the fire station had been notified, but no one from the fire department had arrived. Not long afterward, an APS truck pulled up. The worker explained that the incident had tripped a switch, causing power outages in Kirtland, Fruitland, and parts of Hogback near Highway N36. He also said he had seen the fireball from his home just down the street.
The APS worker told us we were fortunate it had been raining because the situation could have been much worse. We were advised to have the remaining tree cut down to prevent another incident. The police officer later left, and the fire department never arrived.
Experiences like this make you realize how quickly a situation can change and how helpless you can feel when your home and family’s safety are at risk. We wondered what might have happened if it had not been raining or if the fire had spread to our house. With the tree so close to our home, the outcome could have been very different.
We are thankful that no one was hurt and that our home did not suffer major damage. At the same time, the experience left us thinking about the resources available to our community. When something like this happens, families need to know that help is available and that someone will respond when they call for assistance.
We understand that emergencies can happen anywhere and that emergency personnel have many responsibilities. Still, it is concerning to experience something so frightening and wait for help that never arrives. It makes us think about other families who might face a similar situation—and what could happen if the circumstances were different.
We are grateful that our family is safe and that no major damage occurred. We hope experiences like ours encourage greater attention to power-line safety, tree maintenance, and the emergency resources available to our communities. Everyone deserves to feel safe at home and to know that help is available when an emergency occurs.
Sarah Tsosie, Oct 2026, Tsé Dáá K’áán Chapter
