ORACLE — When flames from the Cody Fire began burning south of Oracle on Wednesday afternoon, Doug Lindgren’s first thought wasn’t about his own safety—it was about his neighbors.
Lindgren, the owner of Hay Creek Ranch—a horse and RV camp—has a sweeping view of the surrounding area from his property just east of the fire. He was in the "GO" evacuation zone when the fire broke out, but despite the urgent call to leave, his focus turned to helping others.
"We’re a family," Lindgren said.
FULL COVERAGE | UPDATE: Cody Fire is at 47% containment, more than 1,200 acres Saturday night
From his vantage point, Lindgren saw the flames and smoke rise rapidly over the hills. "We've got a bird's-eye view of everything that's going on around here," he said. "When we see flames and smoke coming up from the Oracle Ridge, it was a bit alarming."
Then, he says he watched the fire come up over the Ridge and come down American Flag Mountain.
"That was pretty concerning because our homes are all right down here below us about mile or mile and a half away from our camp," he said. "There's a whole community down there, and we're all very close knit. Most of those folks that live there actually started out camping with us here, so it's a big family."
His mule Sally—whom Lindgren calls the Sentinel of the herd—sensed the danger before most.
"Her response that day, when that fire came over the top, was incredible," Lindgren said. "It was just like 'Something's wrong. We need to be doing something.'"
Soon after, the power went out across the area. Thanks to a generator connected to his well, Lindgren’s livestock still had access to water. But he began to worry about the rest of the town’s animals. Without hesitation, he turned Hay Creek Ranch into a temporary refuge.
As a working horse camp, the ranch had the space to accommodate displaced animals—and people. “We probably had a dozen to maybe 15 living quarter trailers that were here for a couple of days and anywhere from 20 to 30 horses, possibly,” Lindgren said.
Nearly every stall and barn was filled.
“Horses in this barn, horses in that barn, horses in that end of the barn," Lindgren pointed out to KGUN 9.
The outpouring of support and sense of community brought Lindgren to tears.
“We all support each other and help each other,” he said. “We just made the best of a bad situation.”
Now, as hillsides near the roads to get to his ranch remain scorched by the Cody Fire, Lindgren says he remains hopeful.
“As the monsoons come this summer, the hillsides that are black—they'll turn green,” he said. “There'll be rejuvenation. New life will come, and it'll be OK, and we'll be OK.”
The last of the displaced campers and livestock left Lindgren’s property Sunday morning.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office continues to encourage residents to stay alert, as changing weather conditions could still impact fire behavior in the days ahead.
——
Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
