JUNIPER HILLS, Calif. – Mike Fejes is no ordinary 72-year-old. He built five water tanks by hand on his land in Juniper Hills. The latest two were built just months ago. And he did it by himself, just after having had knee surgery in May. 

All five tanks, which hold 40,000 combined gallons of water, were used to save his home and the homes of his neighbors from the Bobcat Fire. 

What You Need To Know

  • Mike Fejes built five water tanks on his property in Juniper Hills

  • The tanks helped fight the Bobcat Fire, saving his and his neighbors' homes

  • The last two tanks were completed just months ago, right on time for this fire

“I had all my stuff filled up, and then I took my water truck where the fire was coming with three fire engines,” said Fejes.

“The fire was coming downhill, and then I ran the fence line with my water truck and knocked the flames down.”

None of the area which burned around his property impacted him or his immediate neighbors. Fejes is a building contractor, not a firefighter, yet he says he fought the Bobcat Fire blaze for over 50 straight hours. 

“When you’re doing something like that and you’re so focused on it, it’s sort of a dangerous situation, the adrenaline rush,” Fejes explained. 

“You don’t think of sleep, you don’t think of anything, I mean, you’re just fighting the fire.”

His tanks have water pumps which also helped firefighters with their efforts to stop the flames. Fejes built his home by hand with all fireproof materials and made sure he was prepared, after having other properties damaged before because of wildfires. 

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“I knew it was coming, It’s not a guess job. It’s coming – and it came.”

Now the work to rewire his property begins.

“New electrical service, new wiring, new everything.”