ANY MEMBERS IN FOREST FIRE DANGER TODAY

[erudne]

I currently have eyes on a fire about 4 miles from my site.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

That sucks, man! May the wind be at your back!

 

[erudne]

It's under control for now

Opps! Slight error; There were NO control efforts until late this morning (everyone was busy submitting plans and waiting for approval).
In 16 hours the fire has expanded from 1 acre to several hundred with spot fires appearing a 1000 yards down wind. The fire has spread in all directions as variable winds move it into new fuel loads. There are 2 choppers and one tanker working the fire, bull dozers en route up logging roads.
I am not threatened at this time

 

[erudne]

bump

 

[erudne]

Several tankers and choppers +120 men have contained the fire for now, if the winds stay calm.
Watch your evening news!

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Hope your going to be alright and may the wind lay down.

 

[erudne]

Hope your going to be alright and may the wind lay down.

Thanks, Looks like the DNR will hit the fire heavy tomorrow, only thing threatened is cattle so far and all but 10 have been rounded-up

 

[erudne]

Up date:
Over night the fire has moved west into a 10,000 acre area of diseased timber that Patty Murray blocked from being treated w/bug killer and/or thinned about ten years ago swearing that "This forest will never burn!". Well now it is burning with high intensity and will probably destroy a historic log cabin erected by local cowboys over 100 years ago and still in use. Also threatened is the near by Big Tree, the largest tree in the county/region. Hundreds of head of cattle in the new area are also threatened and mounted cowboys have been working non-stop in the heavily over grown danger zone to round them up. a few miles further west there are homes and communities at risk.
Variable winds will continue building today.

 

[erudne]

NFS Units from Idaho have just rolled in

 

[erudne]

Yesterday morning the fire was a few acres.
Now
The fire occupies a 30 degree sweep of my northern horizon, it is spreading both west and eastward simultaneously.
The fire has also moved out of the drainages that contained it last night and is slowly moving across forest roads down hill (south) towards me. A series of large harvest areas are acting as breaks due to their low fuel load. Any new wind will increase it's velocity and the dangers of spot fires jumping the cleared area which could endanger local homes in the timber less than 2 miles from Site #2.

 

[erudne]

The air assets from yesterday are not visible, I have seen one chopper. I assume that all assets have been diverted to the west side of the fire that threatens homes.
A fuel truck towing a UAV just drove past heading west.
I am now monitoring LE and fire channels.
A fire has been spotted near Roosevelt WA
A fire is burning at MP 147 on state hwy 14 in Benton Co.. Benton is calling for assistance from near by units.
The main fire has gained speed due to winds, I can no longer see the fire's progress due to the smoke that is now reaching my Site. The fire was moving downhill as well as east and west.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Definatly time to be on your toes, brother! Good luck!!!

 

[erudne]

The DNR /NFS has decided to let the majority of the fire burn while concentrating on the western part of the fire

 

[erudne]

Wildlife has been seen crossing county road towards water to the south.
It seems the main fire is still headed west, east and north so I am safe, next community west has been missed so far as well.
As in 2008 I might have dodged the bullet, but conditions are much drier now than 7 years ago so I stay alert to any hint of fire near by.
I sleep about 4 hours at a time then scan the horizon looking for spot fires.
Most of the livestock, despite the smoke, has been rescued, them's some hard charging cowboys and let's not forget the service the cow ponies rendered as well!

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Forest fires in Eastern Oregon have been intermittently closing roads and highways. I have has some jobs delayed by over a month because of this.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Wildlife has been seen crossing county road towards water to the south.
It seems the main fire is still headed west, east and north so I am safe, next community west has been missed so far as well.
As in 2008 I might have dodged the bullet, but conditions are much drier now than 7 years ago so I stay alert to any hint of fire near by.
I sleep about 4 hours at a time then scan the horizon looking for spot fires.
Most of the livestock, despite the smoke, has been rescued, them's some hard charging cowboys and let's not forget the service the cow ponies rendered as well!

LOL!!! Yeah, I won't forget those cowboys! My Mom was one of them, out of Prinville, for several years! Before my time! I've still got her old Winchester saddle gun, M-94 in .25-35W.

 

[erudne]

The fire boss let most of his assets sit idle all day, dozers sat idle till they had to be evacuated, the fire raged out of control and jumped his control zones but at least he issued an evacuation warning to within a 1/2 mile of his CP!
The cowboys were blinded by smoke and called it quits about noon due to the speed of the fire. the radios enabled them to contact fire watchers for instant updates on shifting winds etc. without those radios they might have been overtaken by the fire.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Dangerous work all around! It would be great for a no causality fire season!

 

[erudne]

the fire moved last night and now some cattle thought safe may be trapped by terrain features. The cowboys have put in tremendous efforts. When the wind rises today....

 

[oli700]

Dangerous work all around! It would be great for a no causality fire season!

too late for that. There have been hundreds of casualties.......we used a hoist ship a couple days ago to pick a guy out of the woods who busted his knee all up on the Stouts Fire

and there have been fatalities this year as well
http://wildfiretoday.com/tag/fatality/