Wildfire 2023

[PB]

Pyrocene: like. It's good note to go out on.

[heckacali]

Looks like the world may actually be going to hell in a handbasket just like Grandma used to say

[yeahman]

One hundred years of fire suppression, time to pay the piper.

[S_jenks]

One hundred years of fire suppression, time to pay the piper.

x2. I always like referencing this photo and report:



https://forest.moscowfsl.wsu.edu/smp/solo/documents/RPs/Arno_RP-INT-187_1976.pdf

"High fuel loadings eventually will be reduced by decay, fire (wildfire or prescribed
fire), or removal. Decay is relatively slow in these cool, dry forests and thus seems
inadequate unless augmented by various types of prescribed fire or logging, or a combina-
tion. Where resource managers do not establish a fuel reduction program, nature may
eventually do so by means of a large, uncontrollable wildfire. Mankind does not
generally find this alternative safe or otherwise acceptable. Logging and slash disposal
can reduce fuels in many areas. However, in some areas, this may be either uneconomical
or unacceptable because of other management goals.

In the latter situation, the prescribed use of fire should be seriously considered
for fuel reduction and stand management."

And this was all written back in 1976.

[petey_]

Jealous, love me some Killbear.

Keep hearing good things about the Thermocell - you're saying it's not just hype?

It works well, not perfect, but slathering deet all over yourself isn't perfect either. A tad pricey for the gadget, fuel, and repellent pads. If you aren't travelling light then you should opt for the gadget that screws onto one of those green propane tanks if you go the Theromocell route. Not spancered.

[paulster2626]

It works well, not perfect, but slathering deet all over yourself isn't perfect either. A tad pricey for the gadget, fuel, and repellent pads. If you aren't travelling light then you should opt for the gadget that screws onto one of those green propane tanks if you go the Theromocell route. Not spancered.

I use it all the time in the backyard. They're great. Couple packs of pads and 2-4 butane thingys lasts me all summer.

[bodywhomper]

We bought 2 thermacell things. Work pretty well so far. Slight breeze seems to mess them up.

[KQ]

Getting really smokey fast - I'm east of this:




MAJOR WILDFIRE - HAT ROCK near Umatilla, OR - 06/12/2023 - 10:59am
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LOCATION: approx 15 miles east of Umatilla Or - Highway 730 near Highway 37. Highway 730 is currently shut down from Highway 207 to Highway 37. 
GPS: 45.912324, -119.142789
SIZE: 400 acres
% contained: TBD - fire is burning in grass and brush
PERSONNEL / EQUIPMENT / RESPONDING AGENCIES:
E2361
E7364
E7365
AIR SUPPORT REQUESTED
Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District
Echo Fire Department
Irrigon Fire Department
Umatilla County Fire District #1
WEATHER: 93F, 26% Relative Humidity, winds 17 mph sustained
FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL: HIGH - due to winds and low humidity
REFRESH BROWSER OFTEN, post gets updated. No DRONES, and please help firefighters by avoiding the area unless you’re helping evacuate.
===========================
UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED BELOW:
===========================
1:26pm Fire visible on TripCheck.com at Hwy 730 and Hat Rock
1:20pm Spotter aircraft from Redmond Airport fire base enroute
1:18pm Burnout operation started

[KQ]

Things are cooking in WA

6/13/23
Update 2:50PM
THE CHELAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS ISSUED A LEVEL 1 FIRE ADVISORY ALERT. THERE IS A BRUSH FIRE IN THE AREA OF AZWELL AND ANTOINE CREEK RDs, CHELAN. EVACUATIONS MAY BE ORDERED.
LA OFICINA DEL ALGUACIL DEL CONDADO DE CHELAN HA EMITIDO UNA ALERTA DE ADVERTENCIA DE INCENDIOS DE NIVEL 1. HAY UN INCENDIO EN EL AREA DE AZWELL Y ANTOINE CREEK RDs, CHELAN. SE PUEDEN ORDENAR EVACUACIONES.
2:20PM
Active wind driven brush fire near Wells Dam, Chelan. US 97 is closed northbound at Apple Acres Rd. and southbound at the Star Boat Launch in Okanogan County. More closures may occur. Evacuations may be ordered. Heavy response including air has been activated. Avoid the area. This will be updated as more information comes in

[KQ]

And another one:

321pm Wallula jct : 1st & 2nd alarm , natural cover fire, dispatching Touchet fire , College place fire task force , dist 4 fire, Walla Walla city fire task force .etc.

322pm all trucks to rally at wallula junction, fire at hatch grade and Brandon ranch rd

[KQ]

Blerg

*****UPDATE at 4:35 p.m.*****

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently on its way with two aircrafts to help contain the fire.

Walla Walla Fire Department has just arrived on scene to provide mutual aid.

This fire has officially been named as the Hat Rock Fire.

The K-MAX helicopter out of La Grande is currently on scene dropping water to contain the fire.

The total area burned is currently over 3,000 acres and is in Juniper Canyon heading towards the Washington state line.

Today at 10:59 a.m. Umatilla County Fire District #1 was dispatched a brush fire on Highway 730 near Highway 37. Highway 730 is currently shut down from Highway 207 to US 12 (mile post 6) in Wallula Junction. Hat Rock State Park is now being activated to a LEVEL 2 Evacuation. LEVEL 2 means have your go bags ready in your vehicle. Right now our crews are battling the fire in multiple divisions along Highway 730. Mutual aid has been provided by Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District, Echo Fire Department, Irrigon Fire Department, Boardman Fire Rescue District, Pendleton Fire & Ambulance, Pilot Rock Fire District, East Umatilla County Rural Fire Protection District, Oregon Department of Forestry, Umatilla Tribal Fire Department, Gilliam County Fire Services - Oregon and Oregon National Guard - Oregon Military Department. Please monitor this post as we will continue to update it with more information.

#ucfd1

[KQ]

and just like that it's become a complex:

As of 5:46 Umatilla County Fire District #1 reports that the fire has grown to 10,000 acres. They are updating their Facebook page regularly, and we recommend that you follow them for updates.

The fire is burning in steep and difficult terrain. Our thoughts are with the firefighters. Stay Safe!!!

High winds and poor visibility have grounded all air support.

[BCMtnHound]

Scary pic of grass and sage brush fire backburn!
Wishing you cooler and wetter weather soon KQ!

[Bronco]

Isn’t it a little early for this? Mid -June, really?

[oldnew_guy]

Isn’t it a little early for this? Mid -June, really?

Not abnormal.

Wind is blowing hard and it's the Columbia River Basin.

[TBS]

^^^And wind isn’t forecast to let up for a day or two
https://forecast.weather.gov/product...n=1&glossary=1

[bodywhomper]

Cause of the 12/30/2021 Marshall Fire in Boulder County announced last week. This fire affected several mags.

The first: Human caused by a fire at property owned by Twelve Tribes that was left to smolder six days earlier. Investigators said the fire had been covered in dirt, but on Dec. 30, 2021, the high-wind event uncovered and reignited the smoldering fire at about 11 a.m., Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said.

The second: An unmoored Xcel Energy power line near the Marshall Mesa Trailhead sparked at around noon, Johnson said.

https://denvergazette.com/news/wildf...b8260.amp.html

[hikesalot]

The air in MN is horrible right now thanks to the Can fires.
burning the lungs - so annoying

[Sluff]

I’m south of St Paul. Hard to see the houses two streets over right now.

However, it’s about the same air quality I have every Friday and Saturday night due to the smoke from backyard fires in my neighborhood that the wind blows into my house. I guess localized AQI in the 200’s is ok if it’s “recreational”. #banbackyardfires

[TBS]

Cause of the 12/30/2021 Marshall Fire in Boulder County announced last week. This fire affected several mags.



https://denvergazette.com/news/wildf...b8260.amp.html

This Twelve Tribes? https://www.denverpost.com/2022/03/0...t-child-abuse/

[ex-powderbroker]

obviously as an east coaster i had never seen anything like these fires/smoke. i checked the forecast hoping for some good news because we’ve had rain lately in southern quebec but the weather guy was talking about a heat dome that continues to linger over hudson bay. so, early snow melt, hot and dry spring, temps forecasted to go back well into the 90’s….what could go wrong? most people don’t realize that these forested areas are like the size of a big state up there and the weather has changed so much in the past couple of decades.

does anyone else get affected when the air quality gets worse than 100? maybe it’s just me but it seems like my body enjoys clean air idk. weird, right?

[KQ]

Christ on a cracker! I've got fires burning to the east and west of me and the wind is blowing hard.

The one to the west, which is miles away, has the potential to be a nightmare. The one to the east just started. No word on what it's doing/burning but the area is farmland/homes.

Oasis Fire

[LHutz Esq]

Just finished a structure protection deployment- first on the Kiskatinaw fire near Tumbler Ridge and then the Donnie Creek fire.

Holy Hey-zus on a Moped- Donnie Creek is a monster! Luckily not a ton of structures to protect but I would not want to be too close to the front of this thing rumbling through the black spruce with a good head of steam.

The skeg is prairie flat, C2 is black spruce- it is a mono culture that grows up after old fires, so the same age and height. The trees can be 150 years old and only 20 ft high. The arial fuels are tightly packed and include massive fine beard lichens. Fires in this area are predominantly wind driven.

Basically a nightmare fuel.

WE'RE NUMBER 1!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...n-18-1.6880715

[TBS]

Donnie Creek is 1.3 million acres - yea that’s fucking big

Is there a suppression strategy other than save structures?

[LHutz Esq]

Donnie Creek is 1.3 million acres - yea that’s fucking big

Is there a suppression strategy other than save structures?

Is "it snows in November" a suppression strategy?

Although it sometimes also snows in June, and I have been up there in May fighting fires in the snow - it is a weird place.

From what I have seen - their ignitions have gone well protecting the Alaska Hwy corridor, and I think most of the oil and gas infrastructure is somewhat fire-hardened. The evacuation order has been downgraded to an alert as they got rain over the weekend so I think progress was probably made.

It is a huge perimeter though ( like 1000km/620miles) - so as to how they will actually contain it if the weather doesn't cooperate? It is a very good question.

It isn't a place where you can just dump a bunch of resources in and get to work, the wind shifts are drastic, the access and egress is spotty, lookout positions difficult, communications can be tough, the fuels tightly packed and highly combustible. It is a bad recipe for crew safety.

Hope the wind blows it east and it becomes Alberta's problem?

It is a monster.