Fire
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Long Bar 60
ArboristSite Operative
Wind has shifted to the south from the Park Fire in N. CA and we have that eerie yellow glow from sun filtering through smoke. odiehorse 1, a N. CA timber faller with a youtube channel lives right in the path of this fire and I've put out a call via youtube to see if he survived. Was up at Tahoe this morning on a bigfoot "hunt" and the wind was just howling up there. Just a light breeze here at my house. No current threats here where I live.
The little community of Stehekin at the top of Lake Chelan, is under an evacuation order. This is a place that you cannot drive to. They brought in engines and equipment by barge. The only access is by foot, boat, or float plane. The fire has been burning for some time and the area around the lake is very prone to burning. Sounds like folks will be sent to pastures and fields to hunker. Tourists were already sent out of the area.
The latest report has boats being sent uplake to haul folks to civilization.
I wanted to go there on fires because of the lake. I thought fire camp would be located where one could go swimming in the lake. The water is colder up at Stehekin than at the end of the lake. But it would still feel good after working a shift. Once I did get dispatched as part of an engine crew to the accessible part of the lake (it's a 50 mile long lake) but after a few minutes of waiting on the dock, we were sent home--not needed. Sigh....
The latest report has boats being sent uplake to haul folks to civilization.
I wanted to go there on fires because of the lake. I thought fire camp would be located where one could go swimming in the lake. The water is colder up at Stehekin than at the end of the lake. But it would still feel good after working a shift. Once I did get dispatched as part of an engine crew to the accessible part of the lake (it's a 50 mile long lake) but after a few minutes of waiting on the dock, we were sent home--not needed. Sigh....
Long Bar 60
ArboristSite Operative
odiehorse 1 was missed by the Park Fire as of yesterday afternoon. Fire is in excess of 350,000 acres. Check out odiehorse 1 on youtube if you like to watch timber cutting videos. He cut down a hollow tree with a bear inside it and filmed the whole thing!
Fast growing, barely contained Park Fire:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153122/after-the-park-fires-rapid-growth
Canada & NW USA fires spread smoke/soot far and wide:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153106/smoky-skies-across-north-america
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153122/after-the-park-fires-rapid-growth
Canada & NW USA fires spread smoke/soot far and wide:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153106/smoky-skies-across-north-america
Flying in those conditions (low visibility, violently unpredictable air, all too close ground) demands a better man than I am. I'm grateful such people exist.
The Park Fire superimposed on our house in Napa, CA (red dot):
The Park Fire superimposed on the August Complex, largest fire in state history:
The Park Fire superimposed on the Camp Fire, deadliest in state history:
The Park Fire superimposed on the August Complex, largest fire in state history:
The Park Fire superimposed on the Camp Fire, deadliest in state history:
Seeing how much work was done to keep old planes working, was a surprise. I had a cushy fire job at the Winslow AZ airport working with the air ops. Planes would come in with something needing fixing, a mechanic would tinker with it, they'd take off for a test run. One of the mechanics told me that a mechanic rode in the plane after tinkering on it, and told of being upside down inside the plane trying to adjust something while it was flying.
This is the opposite of what my mom, the WW2 Marine airplane mechanic (based in Oklahoma) said. She mentioned one time that she was quite glad that she never had to fly in a plane she repaired. But, the fix she and I did to an International pickup lasted for several years, so I think she did a good job on airplanes. Sorry for the drift.
Meanwhile, it's been a bit smoky up here. I am thinking most of it is from the Pioneer Fire, burning by Lake Chelan.
Copied this off facebook. This is the Pioneer Fire near Stehekin on Lake Chelan. Today is supposed to be terribly hot. Not good for people dressed in Nomex.
Photo by Jennifer Byquist
Photo by Jennifer Byquist
daniel chode rider
ArboristSite Lurker
Yikes. Got family in chelan. Fortunately not in stehekin.
It would be pretty awful if that valley burned, and man it would be pretty hard to get everyone out of there, I imagine.
It would be pretty awful if that valley burned, and man it would be pretty hard to get everyone out of there, I imagine.
Stehekin was put on a Level 3--go now evacuation a few days ago. Not many residents left. They do have some large areas they can use as safety zones, along with grabbing a boat and heading out onto the lake.
Fire crews, despite the rumors, have spent a lot of time trying to make the community defensible. They've even barged in large, city style fire engines. Some of the locals have been spreading the usual stupid rumors so much that the sheriff has had to put out some statements and meetings have had to be held to try to stop that crap.
Recreation goes on while planes scoop water. This is from a facebook page. Apparently a fire broke out to the north of here, right on the boundary with Canada. When that happens, both countries go like crazy to keep the fire from becoming international. In this case, sounds like they did it by working like mad with air attack--started out with these little ones, then had to go to the big ones and got it knocked down. Some planes were even diverted from the Pioneer Fire. Again, it's a hundred zillion degrees out today and everything is ready to explode.
Oh, this is Lake Osoyoos which is an international lake.
Here is a great service I haven't seen mentioned in this thread. It's called Watch Duty and you can use it as a web page or a phone app. Even shows wind direction.
I had to evacuate my parents from the Mill Fire in California last week. They stayed with us for several days. Driving up to their house, through the checkpoints, into the smoke and glow... I really thought their house was a goner. It turns out the fire was actually 3 miles away at the time but it looked like it was right on top of us.
Then on Wednesday we drove Hwy 44 over the north side of Lassen. We were afraid the road would be choked with smoke but it was almost totally clear. We didn't hit smoke until Susanville. All the roads branching off 44 to the South were barricaded.
We were camping up in one of the lakes about two years ago and the Dixie fire was burning right across the lake. It made a spectacular pyrocumulus mushroom cloud glowing red and orange with it's own lightening and everything. Air attack choppers and planes were dipping out of the lake right in front of us. Looked like the end of the world.
I had to evacuate my parents from the Mill Fire in California last week. They stayed with us for several days. Driving up to their house, through the checkpoints, into the smoke and glow... I really thought their house was a goner. It turns out the fire was actually 3 miles away at the time but it looked like it was right on top of us.
Then on Wednesday we drove Hwy 44 over the north side of Lassen. We were afraid the road would be choked with smoke but it was almost totally clear. We didn't hit smoke until Susanville. All the roads branching off 44 to the South were barricaded.
We were camping up in one of the lakes about two years ago and the Dixie fire was burning right across the lake. It made a spectacular pyrocumulus mushroom cloud glowing red and orange with it's own lightening and everything. Air attack choppers and planes were dipping out of the lake right in front of us. Looked like the end of the world.
@grizz55chev how close is the Crozier Fire to you? I think you said you're in that area. Hopefully they get it under control soon.
https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2024...-over-1800-acres-smoke-hits-reno/74737642007/
https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2024...-over-1800-acres-smoke-hits-reno/74737642007/
It's maybe 4 miles as the crow flies, across the middle fork of the American River. That whole area between us and the fire burned 2 yrs ago so we're pretty safe for now as is moving in a northeastern direction away from us!
Four miles is too close for comfort!
Stay safe.
Cal Fire is stepping up their game. First it was the Firehawks based on the Blackhawks, and now a fleet of C130's coming online. https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/massive-air-tanker-will-battle-california-wildfires/
A lot of history on those aircraft. They were originally supposed to have the wing boxes replaced, then be transferred to the Forest Service. Hopefully California makes it finally happen. The C-130 is an excellent Large Air Tanker. It's too bad a similar program with the P-3s wasn't available, I have heard they were the best.
