Reed and Kathleen Kelley were loading up some of their horses and preparing to leave their ranch southwest of Meeker, which was in the path of the Lee fire, when a team of local volunteer firefighters drove up in three trucks on Tuesday afternoon.

The crew would do their best to save the couple’s home and any other buildings they considered important, but the Kelleys, who had been holding out for as long as possible, needed to evacuate immediately, Luke Pelloni, chief of Meeker Volunteer Fire & Rescue, told them.

They walked around the couple’s home and discussed mitigation efforts to help the property survive. Kathleen asked the crew if they could save the Cassidy Homestead, built by Tom and Maggie Cassidy in 1918, which was near their home.

“We have some hay stored there. See if you c

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