DISASTER Serious Wildfires Spreading Fast, eastern Washington + Oregon

[Siskiyoumom]

The father of one of my students came into the classroom on Wednesday.
He had been gone for two months fighting fires.
His daughter lept out of her chair and jumped into his arms and cried for over ten minutes, she was so happy to see him!
On Thursday he came into class during the middle of the day.
She looked up at him in his uniform and she burst into tears.
She ran to him sobbing, "Daddy don't go!"
He calmed her down and told her he hoped to be back in three weeks.
He asked for prayers for safety.
He said he was "Going up to Washington to a terrible dangerous fire."
So if you can please pray for his safety as well as all the crews fighting this massive fire.
And for the familes and communities affected by it.
Thank you so much, Sis

 

[Sleeping Cobra]

Wow. Just heard on KEPR tv news that the fires are now 100 square miles. It is hard to grasp 100 square miles of fire.

Issy

And the thing is we had a lot of the snow in the mountains last season.(2011 / 2012). So a lot of vegetation grew and then dried which is fuel for the fires. This will probably burn till the rainy season starts in October.

 

[Great Northwet]

Here is an update on the area for you.

09/21/2012 - 1:36 pm: Effective 12pm today, all state lands are closed east of the Naneum State Forest line to the Columbia River, and north of Vantage Highway to just north of the Kittitas-Chelan County line. This includes the Colockum, Quilomene and Whiskey Dick wildlife areas.

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3269/

Thanks for the update Issy.

My main concern at this point, is that the local news says there could be some "dry" lightning starting in the westside foothills tomorrow moving east over the pass by afternoon. If I go to where I want to go, I could end up getting cut off from getting back down to the highway.

My fishing areas are the headwaters of the Yakima river and north from there into the Teanaway area. I also know the other places mentioned in the update. Although I really want to get up there, prudence tells me that I should wait until there has been some rain.

On a sidenote: We had a steady drizzle down here in the city for much of the morning with high temps. reaching only 61deg. I hope some of the dampness gets over there soon.

 

[Issy]

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/free...cle_82b3e99c-0415-11e2-84da-001a4bcf887a.html

Conditions help firefighters

By JUSTIN PITTMAN and BARB OWENS staff writers | Posted: Friday, September 21, 2012 10:55 am

Updated 2 p.m.: A national type 1 incident management team is expected to take command of the Table Mountain firefighting efforts this weekend, fire officials say.

Winds in the area shifted, and Friday morning winds coming out of the south were blowing the fire north, away from the majority of the structures fire crews are working to protect. Most of the structures endangered by the Table Mountain Fire are on the south and the west edges of the blaze. Favorable weather conditions and air support Thursday allowed firefighters to construct solid lines along those portions of the fire, fire information officer Tim Perciful said.

The fire is 30,434 acres and 5 percent contained. A total of 775 people are assigned to fight the fire.

Fire officials expected weather conditions Friday to be similar to those that allowed fire crews to make progress Thursday. Dry lightning is possible today and Saturday.

"These fires were started by dry lightning, so new dry lightning could start other fires small fires or make it more difficult for us to fight this fire," Perciful said.

Columns of smoke may be visible in some areas of the county as the main Table Mountain Fire burns together with a a smaller fire burning to the southwest and the Wenatchee Complex Fire. Officials expect the three fires to merge but can't say when they might join together, Perciful said.

The Table Mountain Fire management team is working with the team in charge of the Wenatchee Fire Complex. The teams will coordinate efforts once the fires merge.

"There's a lot of complexities to this fire," Perciful said. "The homes, these two (fires) merging, the (Mission Ridge) ski resort, the terrain, the weather."

Perciful said the situation on the ground is changing on a daily basis.

Evacuation notices remain in place in the Liberty area. All state lands are closed east of the Naneum State Forest line to the Columbia River, and north of Vantage Highway to just north of the Kittitas-Chelan County line. This includes the Colockum, Quilomene and Whiskey Dick wildlife areas, according to a news release from Kittitas County.

Forest closures remain in place for the Naneum State Forest and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (east of US97 to the Naneum State Forest).

Fifteen Type 1 incident management teams are spread through the continental United States and Alaska. They consist of members from federal, state, county and local agencies. As a general rule, type 1 teams manage large wildland fires and address the most complicated logistical, fiscal, planning, operational and safety issues.

Updated 11 a.m.: More favorable conditions helped slow growth of the Table Mountain Fire on Thursday as firefighters worked to contain the blaze northwest of Ellensburg.

The fires are morphing into one fire, incident commander Rex Reed said during a community meeting Thursday evening.

Officials expect the northeast flank of the fire to begin burning together with the southeast flank of the Wenatchee Complex Fire near Mission Ridge, creating a fire that stretches into the Naneum State Forest. Gaps also were closing Thursday night between the main Table Mountain fires and a fire burning in the First Creek area.

The total estimated size of the Table Mountain Fire was 30,434 acres this morning, said fire information officer Tim Perciful. That’s just under 40 square miles in circumference, he said.

The fires are 5 percent contained — up from 4 percent Thursday — which doesn’t sound like a lot, Perciful said, but one percent is a few miles of fire line. More than 700 personnel are working to contain the fires, which started in a Sept. 8 lightning storm.

Less extreme

Fire activity Thursday was less extreme than the plume-dominated fire crews faced Wednesday in the Table Mountain Fire. Reed compared the situation Wednesday, which included higher temperatures and lower relative humidity, to opening the damper on a stove. Fire activity Thursday created separate smoke columns rather than a large plume, and Reed said the situation made work for firefighters safer and more productive.

Today’s outlook

Reed said that today would most likely yield similar fire activity to Thursday. But dry lightning is possible today and Saturday, and fire crews aren’t out of the woods yet.

“We’re going to be in this for 10-15 days still,” said John Sinclair, chief of Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue. “We’re going to see this smoke coming out of the foothills for a while to come; potentially until snowfall.”

Reed said fires like the one burning near Table Mountain are unprecedented in Washington this late in the year.

“Yesterday (Wednesday) we bumped almost 90 degrees here locally, single digits humidity, it’s something in my career — that started in 1974 — I’ve never experienced in the month of September.”

Crews conducted some controlled burn operations Thursday between special fire trails and the edge of the Table Mountain fires, in a process known as black lining. Small glowing fires set by structure protection crews could be seen in the upper Reecer Creek area Wednesday night, Reed said. More black lining operations are expected to occur when weather improves.

About 100 new fire personnel arrived to help battle the Table Mountain blaze.

“We’re getting lots of agency support, and national support and international support. We have firefighters from British Columbia here that have come to assist us, as well as states across the country,” Reed said.

Two Forest Service recreational structures have been damaged in the fire, Reed said. There had been no other structural losses as of Thursday morning, but crews have had to do point protection on the south flank of the fires and have prepped homes in the Liberty area. About 600 homes on the west and south flank of the fires are considered threatened, Reed said.

Evacuation orders remain unchanged since Thursday. Kittitas County Sheriff Gene Dana said there are 161 homes in the Level 3 (mandatory) evacuation areas and 97 homes in the Level 2 (be ready to leave) evacuation areas. Only three people were at the Red Cross shelter at Mercer Creek Church in Ellensburg as of Thursday morning, he said, adding that most of those evacuated were staying with friends or family.

“North of Ellensburg it was surprising; a lot of deputies went to homes and people already evacuated on their own because of the smoke and so forth,” Dana said. “The Liberty area, people seem to be hunkering down and have their sprinklers on and their hoses and waiting it out.”

Yakima Complex

About 667 personnel are working to contain the separate Yakima Complex fires burning in Kittitas and Yakima counties. The fires were considered 60 percent contained this morning, according to information from incident command.

One outbuilding has been destroyed in the complex since it started in the Sept. 8 lighting storm. There are an estimated 75 fires in the Yakima Complex, most of which are small, contained and being monitored. Fires in upper elevations are being evaluated to determine whether it makes sense to put them out.

 

[Issy]

Thanks for the update Issy.

My main concern at this point, is that the local news says there could be some "dry" lightning starting in the westside foothills tomorrow moving east over the pass by afternoon. If I go to where I want to go, I could end up getting cut off from getting back down to the highway.

My fishing areas are the headwaters of the Yakima river and north from there into the Teanaway area. I also know the other places mentioned in the update. Although I really want to get up there, prudence tells me that I should wait until there has been some rain.

On a sidenote: We had a steady drizzle down here in the city for much of the morning with high temps. reaching only 61deg. I hope some of the dampness gets over there soon.

You're welcome. Yes, you could get trapped over here. If you do, PM me and I'll send DH after you. The smoke is so thick. Even if you could get up in the Teanaway I don't think you'd be able to stay long without goggles and a good mask. The planes and helos couldn't fly again yesterday because of the smoke. Mission Ridge is using it's snow making machine to help with the fire. It was almost 90* here yesterday and no rain in sight.

Issy

 

[Cascadians]

http://www.skyvalleychronicle.com/B...AY-INSIDE-BECAUSE-OF-SMOKE-FROM-FIRES-1124502
September 22, 2012

BREAKING NEWS

YAKIMA COUNTY RESIDENTS TOLD TO STAY INSIDE BECAUSE OF SMOKE FROM FIRES

MAP shows where wildfires are burning in Washington and nearby states. CLICK TO ENLARGE

(ELLENSBURG, WA) -- The Washington State Department of Ecology has advised residents of Ellensburg to stay inside their homes because the smoke in the air from the wildfires is too unhealthy to be breathing in.

A thick layer of smoke has blanketed the area. It’s from the wildfires burning in central Washington.In a statement issued Friday the agency said the air quality “remains unhealthy in Yakima County,” and the Air Quality Alert will continue through noon Monday September 24.

This alert includes all of Yakima County. And the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency (YRCAA) Air Pollution Control Officer Gary Pruitt has determined that the current stage 2 burn bans will remain in effect through Wednesday September 26.

The YRCAA will continue monitoring the air quality through the weekend and reevaluate the alert status and the burn ban Monday morning.

Meantime there will be no relief this weekend for firefighters battling the several large wildfires in Central Washington – there is a lightning storm forecast to sweep through the region Saturday, which has the potential to start even more fires.

Those fires are burning on 143 square miles of very dry forests and the people who live in 161 homes just north of Ellensburg have been urged to leave because of fire danger.

Highway 97 was closed for a time Friday over Blewett Pass then it reopened Friday night.

Fire managers said Friday evening that flames from the fire are within a quarter-mile of the highway and that there may be intermittent closures of the highway as the fire draws near.

“The air quality remains generally unhealthy and unhealthy for sensitive people. It is expected to remain that way through Wednesday. Yakima County residents should use common sense precautions, but sensitive groups, such as children, the elderly and heart patients, are particularly vulnerable, said the statement issued by the ecology department Friday.

The agency says the biggest health threat comes from the fine particles in smoke. These can cause burning eyes, runny nose, bronchitis and other illnesses. Smoky air also can aggravate pre-existing heart and lung diseases, and even lead to death.

The burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including but not limited to:

• Campfires.

• Bonfires.

• Residential yard debris clean-up, trash disposal, land clearing, weed abatement and agricultural burning activity

• Ignition of any fireworks.

Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself and be informed:

The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit the time that they spend outdoors when smoke is in the air.

Children also are more susceptible to smoke because their respiratory systems are still developing and they breathe more air (and air pollution) per pound of body weight than adults. They're also more likely to be active outdoors.

If you have asthma or other lung disease, follow your doctor's directions on taking medicines and following your asthma management plan. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen.

If you have heart or lung disease, if you are an older adult, or if you have children, talk with your doctor about whether and when you should leave the area. When smoke is heavy for a prolonged period of time, fine particles can build up indoors even though you may not see them.

Turn air-conditioning units to "recycle" mode so they don't draw in outside air.

Don't think those paper "comfort" or "dust masks" are the answer. The kinds of masks that you commonly can buy at the hardware store are designed to trap large particles, such as sawdust but they generally will not protect your lungs from the fine particles in smoke.

 

[Cascadians]

$#!+

http://woodinville.patch.com/articl...ct-for-woodinville-much-of-western-washington
By Lisa Baumann September 21, 2012

Red Flag Warning In Effect for Woodinville, Much of Western Washington

A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Woodinville and much of western Washington from 2 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday for dry lightning and excessively dry fuels.

A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Woodinville and much of western Washington due to a forecast of dry thunderstorms that could bring lightning, according to the National Weather Service – Seattle. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occuring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential.

The Red Flag Warning will be in effect from 2 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. Dry thunderstorms are possible late Friday night through Saturday evening.

According to the National Weather Service:

AN UPPER LOW OFFSHORE WILL APPROACH THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT AND WILL MOVE INTO OREGON ON SATURDAY. THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL THEN MOVE SOUTHEAST TOWARD NEVADA ON SUNDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD INSTABILITY AND SOME UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.

WHILE THE MOISTURE IS RATHER LIMITED...THERE WILL BE ENOUGH FOR A RISK OF ISOLATED DRY THUNDERSTORMS OVER PORTIONS OF THE AREA. THE DRYNESS LEVELS OF THE DEAD FUELS...INCLUDING GRASSES...BRUSH AND DEAD MATERIAL IN THE FORESTS AS WELL AS BUG KILL ARE AT OR NEAR RECORD DRYNESS LEVELS...WHICH WOULD MAKE THEM VERY RECEPTIVE TO FIRE STARTS FROM LIGHTNING.

* THUNDERSTORMS WINDS...DUE TO THE HIGH BASED NATURE OF THE STORMS THE WINDS SHOULD BE LIMITED...HOWEVER GUSTY WINDS ARE ALWAYS A THREAT WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE VICINITY.

* IMPACTS...WITH THE CURRENT FUEL CONDITIONS AS THEY ARE...ANY LIGHTNING WOULD BE EFFICIENT AT STARTING FIRES.

 

[Cascadians]

[ Fair Use: For Educational / Research / Discussion Purposes Only ]
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-n...ng_for_rain_to_deal.html#incart_river_default
Friday, September 21, 2012, 11:56 PM

Crews hoping for rain to deal with wildfires, may get lightning this weekend instead

After torching more than 25,500 acres in Central Oregon since Sept. 9, fire officials estimate a wildfire burning near Sisters will continue until being put out by fall rains.
They just aren't sure when those showers will come for the Pole Creek fire, which is 50 percent contained as of Friday.

However, thunderstorms and lightning are expected for the weekend across the Pacific Northwest, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. With dry conditions persisting, this could lead to the sparking of more wildfire.
A cooling tread could be in the forecast after that, the agency said.

About 1,000 firefighters and support personnel are working to extinguish the Pole Creek fire, which has spread to the Three Sisters Wilderness and was threatening about 250 structures as of Friday morning. The cause of the wildfire is still under investigation.

Smoke from the flames are continuing to settle near Sisters and surrounding areas contributing to hazardous air quality.

Meanwhile, Washington's largest collection of wildfires, the Wenatchee complex, continues to rage on. Flames are 28 percent contained after scorching more than 42,100 acres of timber, brush and grass near Wenatchee, Wash.

About 260 structures were threatened by the fires as of Friday and officials said one of the complex's perimeters is being threatened by the Table Mountain complex, a group of blazes that have burned 30,430 acres near Cle Elum, Wash.

That complex is 7 percent contained after being sparked by a lightning storm on Sept. 8.

Also burning in the Pacific Northwest:

The Okanogan complex has torched more than 8,100 acres of timber, grass and understory near Carlton, Wash. Flames are 18 percent contained.

The Cascade Creek fire, burning on the south slope of Mount Adams, is 50 percent contained after burning 10,700 acres since Sept. 8. A lightning strike is believed to have started the wild fire.

The Yakima Complex, in Yakima and Kittitas Counties, is responsible for 3,000 acres burned. Crews said the complex is 60 percent contained.

 

[Cascadians]

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/show...s-dying-of-drought-remember-these-Death-Lines
When everybody is dying of drought, remember these Death Lines

 

[Cascadians]

https://twitter.com/WAFireNews

Good twitter feed to keep abreast of breaking news.

 

[Issy]

https://twitter.com/WAFireNews

Good twitter feed to keep abreast of breaking news.

Thank you! I just checked weather again and now they say 20% chance of rain (and lightning, ughh). It's getting light now and the smoke has cleared the floor and is up high. That is a very welcomed relief.

And if the fire and lightening doesn't get us, the idiots may. Last evening 2 mini trucks (Datsan, Toyota types) with 4 teenage boys and 2 teenage girls trespassed up here on our private road. DH just happened to be outside and saw them down the road, got in his truck and went after them. They had gone through 1 open gate, around a second closed barricade (all with "no trespassing" signs. Then came to the 3rd no trespassing sign where we have a chain across the road on posts. They drove the truck into and over one of the posts and the chain! All of which could have sparked a fire. And to party up in the mountains is stupid too and could catch a fire. My husband chased them back down the road. The first truck went down over a bank onto a quad/dirt bike trail. The 2nd truck followed and couldn't get through. The first truck stopped. This is where my husband caught them. He was pi**ed! The first truck's driver got mouthy and was lying. The 2nd truck driver my husband recognized as we know his parents. Somehow DH got them all rounded up and took them to the one kid's house that we know the parents. They were furious too. The 4 boys were escorted back to the mowed down post and chain with a new post from the one kid's Dad and replaced and repaired the damage. My husband agreed not to call the sheriff. Any one of these things could have set the whole area on fire. I'm sooooo mad. I think the cops should have been called.

Issy

 

[Cascadians]

omg Issy that is outrageous. Idiots are rampant and there is no fix. Once a person is that rebelliously stupid and stubbornly unaware, they are hopelessly a waste and dangerous.

It is sad that there are actually not many persons worthy of being saved. I salute the firefighters and all who work and warn re anything lifesaving because it's a thankless job and 95% of those protected do not deserve protection. It sucks to be stuck on earth with so many stupid ppl.

 

[Issy]

The father of one of my students came into the classroom on Wednesday.
He had been gone for two months fighting fires.
His daughter lept out of her chair and jumped into his arms and cried for over ten minutes, she was so happy to see him!
On Thursday he came into class during the middle of the day.
She looked up at him in his uniform and she burst into tears.
She ran to him sobbing, "Daddy don't go!"
He calmed her down and told her he hoped to be back in three weeks.
He asked for prayers for safety.
He said he was "Going up to Washington to a terrible dangerous fire."
So if you can please pray for his safety as well as all the crews fighting this massive fire.
And for the familes and communities affected by it.
Thank you so much, Sis

Oh my Sis! We're praying!

If you, as this precious little girl's teacher deems appropriate, will you please tell her that you know an old lady named Issy that wants to personally thank her, her family and her Daddy for comming up here to help protect us.

Issy

 

[Cascadians]

They say right out that these will burn until extinguished by heavy rains. No significant rain at all in forecast.

http://www.katu.com/news/local/Fire...n-dry-thunderstorms-forecasted-170839641.html

Hoping somebody nearby will give us an update on air condition today.

 

[marsh]

God bless our firefighters who put themselves in harms way to protect people, property and public natural resources. They are true heroes and many are volunteers. God protect and save our rural forest communities from fire/smoke and the aftermath impacts of erosion, watershed health, loss of wildlife and forests and more standing fuel to igniite all over again.

What is being done politically to try and address fuel loads and repeat of catastrophic wildfires across the west:

Skamainia, Clickitat, Douglas and Siskiyou Counties recently paid for an expanded social and economic impact study to fight the proposed expansion of the northern spotted owl lock down of Pacific Northwest Forests. http://www.skamaniacounty.org/owl

Northwest Federal Forest Regulations Have Devastated Forest Health, Local Economies With Little Benefit to Northern Spotted Owl http://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=296313



Apache County used its police powers and Sheriff to assert the right to clean up a public nuisance situation in the USFS around homes. This is based on the premise that the status of the USFS is the same as an ordinary proprietor, not a ceded jurisdiction, federal enclave, etc. covered by pre-emption. http://www.co.apache.az.us/Departments/CountyManager/Stewardship.html (The local district covered it as a cooperative agreement.) Apache County forest program cited as cure for ‘disease’ of growing wildfires; http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2012/...ted-as-cure-for-disease-of-growing-wildfires/

Many western states are politically asserting state rights and demanding control over National Forests to manage them to protect their communities from sever fuel loads and catastrophic fire. (American Lands Council http://www.americanlandscouncil.org/ )

Out Of Touch President Obama Fiddles While Tombstone, AZ Burns http://www.klamathbasincrisis.org/otherplaces/Tombstone/outoftouchobamafiddles081512.htm
Panel Examines Effect of Overregulation on Wildfire Management http://rotor.com/Publications/RotorNewssupregsup/tabid/177/newsid1237/76152/mid/1237/Default.aspx

I know that one of the folks I have been working with for several years is working as a special investigator on the management and other factors leading to the huge New mexico fires.

Lots of legislation on the table to change things in favor of fuels management but can't get them through the Senate or President. H.R. 6089 http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001h2Qc...rJCa6Z6jHitbJfIBjOjNrYxCBzMeSxcMzY5xgVs_LbA==

H.R. 5744 http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc112/h5744_ih.xml

 

[Issy]

We had relief from the smoke all day yesterday and this morning. The new guys are taking over the Table Mt Complex.
Here is the update from today. We are now at 10% containment. It's progress, we'll take it!


Table Mountain Fire News Release - 9/23/2012

Incident: Table Mountain Fire Wildfire
Released: 1:22 hrs. ago
Related Information
PDF Version of Update (PDF 131 kb)
Table Mountain Fire Information Update
Contact: Public Information Office - 206-947-9705 or 206-947-9737
Sunday, September 23, 2012 - 11:00 am PDT Fire Status Update
Size: 30,484 acres·
Containment: 10%
Personnel: 1,050
News & Events for the Table Mountain Fire:
· Pacific Northwest Team 2 (Incident Commander Mike Morcom) has assumed management of the Table Mountain Fire. The efforts made by Washington Incident Management Team 2 (IC Rex Reed), the Washington State Fire Marshall, Kittitas County Fire Department, Kittitas and Yakima County Sheriffs, the National Guard and the federal land management agency resources is greatly appreciated.
· It has been confirmed that two cabins destroyed by the Table Mountain Fire include the Table Mountain A-frame rental cabin and the Riders Cabin, both US Forest Service-administered properties.
· Evacuation levels, area and road closures remain in place for public safety purposes (detailed information below); approximately 800 structures remain threatened. The Table Mountain Fire has new social media sites; see below for more information.
· The Incident Command Post, currently located in Teanaway, will move to the Rotary Park sports complex in Ellensburg (tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, September 24, 2012).
· Fire activity is expected to increase slightly today from yesterday with interior burning occurring within the fire perimeter and potential for intense flare-ups and rapid rates of spread in some areas if wind and topography are aligned.
· Today/tonight is the last shift for Washington State structure protection resources; however, other assigned resources will remain on night shift for patrolling and initial attack response as needed.
Table Mountain Fire Operations Summary:
Last night, fire crews made good progress with structure protection and mop up efforts in Reecer. Crews also continued efforts to strengthen and tie in portions of the fire line along the W/S flanks down to US Hwy 97 with some smaller burnout operations conducted on the N flank. Historic mining structures were protected on the S flank near Reecer and sprinklers were installed at Green Cabin. Hotshot crews made progress tying in hand lines with dozer lines near Wilson Creek. On the W flank, crews strengthened contingency lines.
Fire crews continue to provide initial attack response and structure protection around Liberty and Reecer in the Liberty, Liberty Mountain, Pine Gulch, Harkness and Deer Gulch areas.
For firefighter safety purposes, future burnout operations planned for the N flank of the fire will be closely coordinated with fire operations personnel assigned to the Wenatchee Complex. With the reduced fire activity, firefighters will look for opportunities to take a direct attack approach, particularly on the E flank, in an effort to minimize fire spread. The fire has been slowed by rocky terrain in the Naneum Basin area.
Closures: Local road closures remain in effect; go to the Kittitas County Emergency Operations Center, Inciweb or the Okangon-Wenatchee National Forest website for current road and area closure information.
Area Closures: As of September 22, 2012, all State lands east of the Naneum State Forest line to the Columbia River are closed due to fire hazards. This includes the Colockum, Quilomene and Whiskey Dick's Wildlife Areas. Forest closures remain in place for the Naneum State Forest and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest east of Highway 97.
US Highway 97 has been closed intermittently, or restricted access, due to the fire situation. For the most updated information, visit the WADOT website at http://www.wsdot.was.gov/
Forest Service and Department of Natural Resource Road Closures: Reecer Creek Road at the Snowpack, Wilson Creek Rd. at the end of the county road, Coleman Canyon Rd., Schnebly Canyon Rd., and Cook Canyon Rd. Additional roads include Liberty Rd., Williams Creek Rd., Harkness Rd., Pine Gulch Rd. east of Red Top Rd., Cougar Gulch Rd., Boulder Creek Rd., Upper Green Canyon Rd., Sun East Rd. at the top of Robbins Rd., and Elk Springs Rd.
Red Cross Shelter: The shelter at Mercer Creek Church remains open. The church is located at 407 North "B" Street in Ellensburg. The shelter can provide meals, toiletries, showers or other services, even for those who do not need to stay overnight.
Animal Shelter: Evacuated livestock and temporary housing for small pets available until a vet clinic can be found for providing long-term care. There is 30 livestock currently housed at the shelter for this purpose. Shelter staff are taking calls from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday at 509-962-7639. If a need arises outside of normal business hours, please call the Emergency Operations Center at 509-933-8305.
FIRE FACTS:
Table Mountain Fire: Started: September 8, 2012 Cause: lightning Location: Cle Elum, WA/Kittitas County Resources: A total of 1,050 personnel assigned to the fire, including 6 hotshot crews, 17 type II hand crews, 7 helicopters, 84 engines, 10 dozers and 20 water tenders.
SAFETY CONCERNS: Transfer of command day with a new fire management team increases the need to ensure communications and work assignments to the firefighters are clear and understood.
RESOURCE CONCERNS: Multiple historic cabins, archaeological sites, mines, threatened and endangered species, old growth reserves.
WEATHER: No Red Flag warning today. Skies partly cloudy with areas of valley smoke in the morning and patchy smoke in the afternoon. Max temps 76 degrees at lower elevations and 66 degrees at higher elevations. Relative humidities 28-38%, down 5-7% from yesterday. Downslope winds 3-6 mph becoming upslope 4-8 mph with gusts to 14 mph after 11:00 a.m. Ridgetop winds NE to E 7-10 mph with gusts to 18 mph.
WEATHER OUTLOOK: Partly cloudy tonight with areas of smoke. Good humidity recoveries o the mid slopes and ridges. Temps 50-58 degrees at the ridge tops and 43-50 in canyon bottoms. Relative humidity max 50 to 70% midslope to ridgetop and 70 to 90% in canyon bottoms. Downslope winds 4 to 8 mph and strong NW winds with gusts to 30 mph likely in the Kittitas Valley into Monday morning.
TODAY'S EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR: On the NW flank of the fires, fire behavior is expected to be similar to yesterday with predicted S and E winds. There is potential for flare-up and interior burning, although the fire is in rocky areas that will limit spread. On the W flank, S winds may increase fire behavior in the Green Canyon area. On the SW flank, the fire will continue to back downslope and against the wind, particularly in Wilson Canyon. On the E flank, there is a potential for very rapid spread and intense flare-ups where fuels, wind and slopes align.
COOPERATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS: Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Fire Marshall, Kittitas County Fire Districts #1, #2, #7, Kittitas County Sheriff, Yakima County Sheriff, National Guard Resources, British Columbia Wildfire and the Okanagon-Wenatchee National Forest.
·Next scheduled infrared flight will provide acreage update
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/article/3269/17756/

 

[Issy]

Oh my!
Check out this picture of the Table Mountain complex fire plume. It was taken this morning.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tablemountainwafire/8017257307/in/photostream

Issy

 

[almost ready]

That photo of Table Mountain is unreal.

Glad it's cooler now. This will help.

 

[Cascadians]

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-n...ather_in_forecast_a.html#incart_river_default

Latest update: More warm dry weather forecast, actually heating up, jeez. Fires still burning and new ones, smoky here. Extremely tinder dry here, simply not safe.

 

[frazbo]

Although we may not post our prayers here for all of you, we are. Since day one, just wanted to let you know we're watching and praying with you all that this comes to an end soon.

 

[Issy]

Although we may not post our prayers here for all of you, we are. Since day one, just wanted to let you know we're watching and praying with you all that this comes to an end soon.

Thank you so much. We need prayers. Especially the firefighters. It is very smokey here in Cle Elum today. The update on the fire website said it would increase for the next few days as they are doing back burning. The Table Mountain complex and the Wenatchee complex have now merged. There was concern this may happen. But on a good note, the 2 complexes together will actually be easier to handle. In essence 2 of the fronts are now gone. Last Fri and Sat were the first smoke free (almost) days we have had in weeks. It was so nice! I told DH it feels like I'm living in a pillow case! Or eternal fog.

Issy

 

[Issy]

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-n...ather_in_forecast_a.html#incart_river_default

Latest update: More warm dry weather forecast, actually heating up, jeez. Fires still burning and new ones, smoky here. Extremely tinder dry here, simply not safe.

Oh, hang in there! I think about how you guys are doing.

Issy

 

[packyderms_wife]

As old-timers know, I'm an aspie and one of my special interests is the weather here, and how the Death Lines have killed the moisture. Been watching closely since 1998, documenting, photos and real time satellite pix, and going out in the wilderness and seeing for myself how tinder dry it's been progressively getting.

The Death Lines are more persistent than ever, no signs they'll let up at all, no matter how many fires are raging.

I tried to warn a group of Newf owners planning a get-together, starting 15 months ago, that east of the Cascades in July - Aug - Sept - Oct would not be wise due to extreme dryness and heat and dust and fire danger, but nope, of course nobody listened, and now they are pissed that the warning turned out obviously true and accurate, and they're had to cancel but are planning to go to the same extremely dangerous place next year ... cannot fix DGIs even with gentle explanations and links to incident reports, fire maps, news articles etc.

All I can say is that being burned alive is not a fun way to exit the planet. But even that statement would be scoffed at. *sigh*

Those who desire to burn to death, go ahead, maybe the experience will teach you something, or maybe not.

what is a death line?

 

[Issy]

http://washingtondnr.wordpress.com/...he-life-of-a-firefighter-table-mountain-fire/

A Day in the Life of a Firefighter: Table Mountain Fire


Firefighters rise before 6 a.m. for morning briefing at fire camp. Photo: Fire Information Officer Kent Romney

At fire camp, life starts around 5 a.m. Crews roll out of their tents into the cool morning glow of spotlights; it’s time for morning briefing at 6 a.m.

In an alfalfa field near Cle Elum, Washington, crews are informed of the overall fire strategy including where firelines are being constructed, what obstacles they may experience, if there will be air operations, and what structures may be threatened. During the briefing, each team is assigned to a specific area in the fire and receives a briefing map.


Fire fighter grabs a meal at Base camp near Cle Elum, WA. Photo: Diana Lofflin, DNR.

On this chilly morning, a fire crew is heading to the Northwest section of the fire, ‘Division W’, which firefighters call ‘Division Whiskey.’ By using this term, there is no confusion about what division each person is talking about. Communication is key, especially when it comes to fire and safety.

Firefighters are well taken care of at fires. According to Dennis Donovan, Food Unit Leader, firefighters are fed high-quality foods with a minimum of 4,500 calories a day.

For breakfast this crisp morning, firefighters were fed piping hot chicken fried steak with gravy, oatmeal, scrambled eggs with cheese, potatoes, and a continental breakfast bar with fruit and cereal. Gallons of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, water, and juice are available. The kitchen is set up to feed a minimum of 350 people an hour, an important statistic when feeding over a 1,000 at each meal.

They pick up their sack lunches filled with two sandwiches, fruits and snacks, and they are ready to fight fires. The crew heading up to Division Whiskey is assigned to strengthen the line by implementing a ‘burn out’ — a firefighting technique


Fire fighter uses a drip torch to light a back fire to help contain the Table Mountain Fire. Photo: Diana Lofflin, DNR

that literally uses ‘fire to fight fire.’ Crew members have been working the past few days creating a fireline, which is a control line firefighters dig to the mineral soil by hand. Once the fireline is constructed, crews will limb the bottom of the trees so the fire doesn’t climb up to the canopy. They will then use a controlled burn to remove the fuels so there are no grasses and dead limbs for the fire to burn through. Fire needs three ingredients to ignite: fuel, oxygen, and heat. Firefighters work hard to remove the fuels, which is one way firefighters contain wildfires.

A specially trained firefighter will use a drip torch to light the controlled burn. They light the tip of the drip torch and drip liquid fire on the ground. They travel in rows and have an intricate communication system to make sure everyone is safe as they ignite. Each firefighter carries a fully loaded pack with a fire shelter, flares, water, goggles, GPS, maps, food, and emergency gear, all of which weighs at least 45 pounds. When hiking over uneven terrain, crews must be in tip-top physical condition. In fact, each firefighter must go through an arduous pack test, which is a physical exertion test where they must carry 45 pounds for 3 miles in less than 45 minutes…without running. Yikes!


A firefighters is served a hot, high quality meal after a long day of work. Photo: Fire Information Officer Kent Romney

After a long, 12- to 14-hour day of work, crew members head back to fire camp. There are hot showers, family calls, and supplies to grab before heading to dinner.

At dinner time, another hot, multi-course meal awaits. This evening is a ‘star dinner’ with prime rib, horseradish, and a baked potato with all the fixings, plus a salad bar. For dessert, there are always choices. Tonight it’s ice cream, chocolate mousse pie, or fresh watermelon. With a full belly, crews head off to bed to start all over again tomorrow.

Tags: basecamp, DNR, firefighter, Table Mountain Fire, Washington, Wildfire

This entry was posted on September 26, 2012 at 12:01 pm and is filed under Wildfire. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

 

[Great Northwet]

Thanks for a solid update and interesting link.

 

[cuz1961]

pix

 

[Cascadians]

One of the sled dog associations we follow just cancelled their race -- air quality too smoky / hazy / choking. But ppl are still going to campgrounds to see how much they can endure. It was 82 here yesterday, hazy smoky crimson sunset, only got down to 60 last night, feels hot and stuffy. Endless hot dry weather here just south of Portland Oregon.

 

[willowlady]

Something most people don't really thing about -- when a fire gets this big and burns this long, it creates its own local weather system, and can effect more widespread changes in weather patterns. Perhaps this accounts for the fact that we've still seen nothing but a light drizzle once or twice this month. And the weather has been holding warmer than usual for this time of years, and October is looking pretty dry and warm, too.

 

[Issy]

This may be pretty interesting to check out. DH says it's so large it looks like a fair. I saw one picture that showed yurts. May be interesting to see one up close. Here it is:


#TableMountain #WAFire Incident Command Post Tours 9/30 2-4 pm ^MARH
Posted on September 29, 2012
We offering public tours of the Incident Command Post from 2-4pm tomorrow (Sunday, 9/30). 910 Anderson Road, Ellensburg, WA.

The map is at this link:
http://tablemountainwafire.wordpress.com/

 

[Cascadians]

http://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwaca...55368a5&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Air Quality Alert
Alert:
...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PDT MONDAY...

THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY HAS ISSUED AN AIR QUALITY
ALERT...IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PDT MONDAY.
DUE TO WILDFIRES...THE AIR QUALITY IS HAZARDOUS TO UNHEALTHY IN
SEVERAL AREAS ALONG THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE CASCADE
MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY IN THE ELLENSBURG AREA AND SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES. AT TIMES SMOKE WILL ALSO IMPACT AREAS IN AND AROUND
THE COLUMBIA BASIN.
THIS ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL AIR QUALITY HAS
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED.
WASHINGTON GOVERNOR CHRIS GREGOIRE HAS ISSUED A BAN ON ALL OUTDOOR
BURNING IN EASTERN WASHINGTON THROUGH MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT.
A CODE ORANGE AIR QUALITY ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED. MEMBERS OF
SENSITIVE GROUPS MAY EXPERIENCE HEALTH EFFECTS. THE GENERAL PUBLIC
IS NOT LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED.

 

[Cascadians]

http://www.inciweb.org

List of fires -- all active -- all in the NW -- still hot and dry here.

 

[Siskiyoumom]

Keeping the firefighters and communities involved in my prayers.
I was in Medford Oregon last Thursday and the haze and smog was very intense and gave me a headache.
At the Grange Coop, the sales clerk said it was due to the smoke coming west from the fires in eastern Washington and Oregon.

 

[Cascadians]

Still warm and sunny here, no rain anywhere on the horizon.

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-n...lares_in_washington.html#incart_river_default
New fire flares in Washington state, dozens evacuated

http://mercerisland.patch.com/artic...urn-ban-extended-again-for-much-of-washington
Illegal Campsite With Smoldering Fire Discovered, Burn Ban Extended Again for Much of Washington

For some unfathomable reason ppl have trouble facing the facts:
http://www.voxxi.com/wildfires-rage-longer-consume-more/
Face the Facts: Wildfires rage for longer, consume more

http://photos.denverpost.com/2012/10/03/photos-wildfires-rage-in-washington-state/
Photos: Wildfires Rage In Washington State

Can't keep my windows open; air stinks.

 

[Issy]

It is pretty smokey here today in Cle Elum. I got a tweet today saying they will have this fire contained by Oct 5th. That also tomorrow the Fed Incident Mgmt Team will hand over control to I think DNR. We still have tons of firefighters, helos and planes fighting. Still have NG and Canada here too.

In another tweet today they announced that last Friday 2 DNR firefighters were lost. Not in the fire. The 2 were in a jeep up there and drove off a cliff. Both guys were only 20 years old. Very sad.

Issy

 

[Cascadians]

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-n...e_near_shelton_wash.html#incart_river_default
New wildfire near Shelton, Wash., grows and threatens 100 structures

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-n...lare_in_northwest_k.html#incart_river_default
New fires flare in Northwest, keeping firefighters busy

http://www.oregonlive.com/north-of-..._us_26_west_of_bank.html#incart_river_default
Fire closes U.S. 26 west of Banks

http://www.kgw.com/news/tree-172744491.html
Dry weather plus wind causing outages, accidents, fires

http://www.katu.com/news/local/Fire-breaks-out-at-Hayden-Island-172881751.html
Fire breaks out at Hayden Island

http://www.oregonlive.com/clark-cou...le_large_grass_fire.html#incart_river_default
Crews battle large grass fire in Clark County

Fire weather warnings every day, fires everywhere, damn Death Lines going strong, no mercy, killing all the rain. No mercy at all, no respect for life.

http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/data/geo/i...e=nh&file=jpg&imgoranim=img&anim_method=jsani

 

[Flippper]

Just talked to two forest service personnel today who said there is a fire 8 miles south of the Canadian border that has a huge firecrew on it, they are apparently milking the fire because the FS got something like $400 million dollars and they want to spend it all. This happens a lot apparently, and personally, I'd rather see firefighters get it than Iran, Libya or some other muzzie enemy, it will hopefully help some folks keep their homes and feed their kids. Normally I'd be pissed off, but times are different now.

 

[Issy]

Tough winter ahead for deer

Tough winter ahead for deer

By MIKE JOHNSTON senior writer | Posted: Saturday, October 6, 2012 8:00 am

Every winter is hard for Kittitas County’s dwindling mule deer population, but habitat damage from summer wildfires could make this winter even deadlier.

Deer have begun migrating into the blackened, 37-square-mile footprint of the Taylor Bridge Fire between Cle Elum and Ellensburg, their customary winter grounds. They are in search of shrub-steppe grasses to get them through the winter before new grass growth in the spring.

Much of the bitter brush, bunch grass and cheat grass favored by the deer likely was burned by the Taylor Bridge wildfire that began Aug. 13 near Taylor Road.

Wildlife officials, looking at a worst case scenario, are beginning to explore how a winter feeding program could help deer through the winter. The hope is it won’t be necessary if rain brings autumn growth that the deer can eat through the winter.

“But if we get early cold spells and early snow cover, and it’s dry right up until then, the deer could be in real trouble,” said Ted Clausing, the Fish and Wildlife Department’s wildlife program manager for Region 3 that takes in Kittitas, Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties. “We hope that doesn’t happen. We’re hoping for some rain.”

There’s no rain predicted in the next seven days and the long-term National Weather Service forecast is leaning toward below-normal precipitation through October and likely into November.

The last significant precipitation anywhere in the state was in July, there was no measurable precipitation in August. Statewide, September was the third driest on record, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.

Winter mortality

It’s natural for a number of deer to die every winter, depending on habitat, weather and physical challenges during the winter and early spring, said William Moore, an assistant district wildlife biologist with the state Fish and Wildlife Department.

Some don’t have enough built-up reserves in fat and muscle to get through the winter, even with the minimal help from grasses they can find sticking up through the snow, Moore said.

If the Taylor Bridge Fire totally took out the grasses and shrubs, and no significant fall greening up takes place, “the potential is there for a higher than usual winter kill, but we can’t say it will absolutely happen,” said Moore. “How they survive this winter in the burn area is going to depend on if we get some fall rain, mild temperatures and some fall green up of some of those grasses.”

There’s evidence that some areas burned didn’t have plants destroyed down to their roots, and some areas have shown new growth since the fire, Moore said.

An on-the-ground survey of the 23,500 acres burned by the fire is under way to determine how much wildlife habitat has been seriously damaged and what areas may have been singed over quickly by fast-moving flames and could spring back if rains come, said Clausing.

Through the spring, summer and fall, deer eat grasses in nearby higher-elevation and more sparsely populated rural areas where they grow their fat and build resiliency for the coming winter.

They’re now beginning to migrate down lower, into the burn area, and are usually in place by early or late December, Clausing said.

“And they’ll be looking for those grasses when they get there,” he said.

There’s indications that some of the deer that usually winter there, estimated to total 1,000 to 1,100, may already be experiencing a nutritional deficiency from more physical exertion and movement in response to the Taylor Bridge Fire and the nearby Table Mountain Fire, Moore said.

It’s possible they’ll reach the wintering area in a weaker condition than most years, he said, making them even more vulnerable to winter conditions or a lack of winter forage.

Getting help

A feeding program would require an emergency department appropriation of state funds well ahead of time. Specially formulated deer pellets that are somewhat compatible with sensitive mule deer digestive systems would be used, Clausing said.

That also means extra efforts to educate residents not to feed deer things like hay, apples and vegetables. Those types of foods can kill deer because they don’t have the levels of bacteria in their stomachs in late winter to break it down.

“It may make people feel good to feed that to them, but it won’t help if they’re starving,” Clausing said.

Moore said the depletion of bacteria in the deer’s stomachs through the winter requires a slow transition to eating and digesting the more nutritious, new spring growth. The amount of bacteria that breaks down wild grasses and brush needs to build slowly.

Clausing said a feeding program through the winter requires getting permission from rural landowners to install deer feeding stations on their property, and rounding up volunteers to keep them full.

The Kittitas County Field and Stream Club and local representatives of Safari Club International, both nonprofit groups, have told state wildlife officials they are available to help in any way they can.

“It’s good to have that kind of community help,” Clausing said. “And they contacted us even while the fire was still burning. They wanted to know how they could help.”

A feeding program has to be well coordinated, he said, and noted similar programs were implemented in Chelan County after large wildfires in past years.

Looking for the best

State wildlife and natural resource officials, at a 7:30 p.m. Monday meeting of the Kittitas County Field and Stream Club in Ellensburg, will discuss how the local wildfires have harmed wildlife habitat. The meeting is open to the public at the Hal Holmes Community Center.

“There are options out there, and we have to somehow find the state resources and manpower to carry them out,” Clausing said. “We want to try for the best option, not just throw anything at the problem.”

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/free...cle_b182e42c-0f63-11e2-b699-001a4bcf887a.html

 

[Issy]

Wildfire likely to improve habitat for elk, birds

By MIKE JOHNSTON senior writer | Posted: Saturday, October 6, 2012 7:40 am

Wildfires sweeping through rural shrub-steppe and forest lands in Kittitas County this fall could end up improving the habitat for elk and some types of birds.

The Table Mountain Fire burned trees in many higher-elevation areas, taking out thick branches that shade the forest floor. The change allows in more sunlight, causing more growth of grasses and brush favored by elk who feed in the higher areas in spring, summer and early fall, according to Ted Clausing, the Fish and Wildlife Department’s wildlife program manager for Region 3 that takes in Kittitas, Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties.

“The forage will be thicker, and the new growth more nutritious,” Clausing said. “And the newer plants probably taste better.”

The Table Mountain burn area wasn’t a popular feeding area for deer and elk before the fire.

During the fire, the elk likely were pushed out of the Table Mountain Fire zone to nearby unburned areas, Clausing said, and most weren’t directly affected by the fires.

The area in and around the fire zone is home in the summer and early fall to a combined herd of about 5,000 elk.

Burn damage to portions of the county’s mule deer summer foraging grounds in the higher elevations likely will push them in those months to nearby lands untouched by flames, Clausing said.

He said plants in those areas will come back thicker and healthier in the next few years, likely making for better forage for the deer.

“We’re not as concerned about that summer area as we are for the mule deer’s wintering areas, in and around the (lower elevation) Taylor Bridge Fire,” Clausing said.

That fire may have burned off much of what the deer eat in winter and could lead to a higher mortality rates for the deer at the end of winter.

Other animals

Larger mammals that are more mobile left the Table Mountain and Taylor Bridge fire areas, but some small, burrowing animals likely didn’t make it, Clausing added, or will be affected by a reduction in food sources.

Some of the Table Mountain burn areas took in large areas of spotted owl, Goshawk and other birds of prey habitat, according to William Moore, an assistant district wildlife biologist with the state Fish and Wildlife Department.

The birds likely left the area, and it’s too soon to tell if loss of their hunting grounds to fire will keep them out, he said.

Fire-damaged trees, fallen and still standing, will be welcome homes for birds called cavity nesters and excavators, Clausing said, including woodpeckers.

They’ll be able to get into the burned tree surfaces easier, and dead or dying trees will yield more food in the form of higher populations of wood-boring insects, he said.

Larger predators in the Table Mountain burn area, including bears, cougars or wolves, would have left the area in advance of the fire.

“The ranges they use are huge so they’ll just shift to other areas; they won’t be drastically affected,” Moore said.

Clausing said it’s yet to be seen if the Taylor Bridge Fire will cause mule deer this winter to wander out of the burn area in search of forage and create more problems with rural property owners.

“Some of these situations will take years to play out,” Clausing said. “In the next year it will look pretty bleak in some of those fire areas.”
http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/free...cle_84c4c0a6-0f66-11e2-865c-001a4bcf887a.html

 

[Shacknasty Shagrat]

DD back safely from Taylor Bridge/Table Mountain fires. It has been a very busy fall and there will be new fires until the rains come.
The two firefighters who died in the jeep accident were from the Guard Station just up the road from me. Good kids who made a mistake on mountain roads. One was from my local Volunteer fire department. Our station Captain had helped him in his classes. Another of our volunteers died at the 30 mile fire. We pick good kids, train them and then they go off into the big world. Most of them make it.
It is tough to lose a fellow firefighter.
Glad DD is back home for a while.
SS

 

[Issy]

DD back safely from Taylor Bridge/Table Mountain fires. It has been a very busy fall and there will be new fires until the rains come.
The two firefighters who died in the jeep accident were from the Guard Station just up the road from me. Good kids who made a mistake on mountain roads. One was from my local Volunteer fire department. Our station Captain had helped him in his classes. Another of our volunteers died at the 30 mile fire. We pick good kids, train them and then they go off into the big world. Most of them make it.
It is tough to lose a fellow firefighter.
Glad DD is back home for a while.
SS

SS,

Glad your DD is back safely too. And very thankful for you and your family's service!! It is sad that the 2 young men lost their lives. It sounds like they were a couple of "the good guys".

We are smokey still here. I heard on the news that we are now getting smoke from other fires here in the upper county too. I don't remember this many fires in our state ever. Everything's on fire it seems. Maybe the snow will come soon. We have always been able to count on snow by Halloween. Not that it stays then, but just that we have a few flying flakes by then.

Issy