The Latest Fire Bend Or

Norski · 07-23-2003, 07:16 PM

:shocked: :shocked: :shocked: :shocked:
Around Noon 12:00 today a fire started just south of town some where around China Hat road, we saw the smoke just a small plum, 8 hours and it's up to 200 pluss acers, and growing.
Some of us over here think we have a fire bugg on the louse!!!
Thanks goodness the wind is blowing south, the scanner, we are hearing reports from the south county Polina lake, east lake sunriver that the smoke is verry thick.
Truckers on the C-B are asking if Hwy 97 is closed and the local truck stop is full at this time.
I shure hope they get this under control, as I can remember the Abuary Butte fire, and the great loss it hade on alot of home owners on the west side of town.
We can look out on our deck and see the bommers drop fire retardent, and the plums of smoke heading to the south.
Shure hope and pray they can get a grip on this one, it's all woods from where the fire is to Sun River and than La Pine.
I am just sharing with you all.
Tight Lines. River-Rat. :shocked: :shocked:

24 on/ 48 off · 07-23-2003, 07:30 PM

Rat,

Thanks for the update. You guys stay safe.

--spud-- :smile:

LIMIT LANDER · 07-23-2003, 07:47 PM

we have been looking at property out of Sunriver approx 5 miles on the river. Im amazed at the amount of dead and rotten Jackpine is all over and around Sunriver. it is a tender box in some areas around there.

1pump · 07-23-2003, 09:36 PM

I went through there today about 5:30. There was a big mushroom cloud billowing near Newberry Crater. All the smoke was heading south-southeast. Didn't hear any CB chatter, but I had the stereo blasting. The USFS says it's under control, but it didn't look like it from Hwy 97.
The worst smoke was on Hwy 58 on both sides of Oakridge. I don't know if it was from the big fire near Lowell or from Sand Creek, but it was hanging everywhere, and it made my eyes burn. :depressed:
There was a lot of thunderheads forming south of Keta Falls about 4:00. By the time I headed back north the whole southern horizon was one big freaky-looking cloud, and zero wind. It looks like they're gonna be in for it tonight down there. We don't need any more fires, but it's that time of year again. :depressed:

Flatfish · 07-23-2003, 09:39 PM

If deschutes river woods ever got lit up with a northbound wind, it would be bad. There aint no way everyone could get out of there in time.

Spooky stuff.

Mark and the dog.

GutshotApe · 07-23-2003, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 1pump:

The worst smoke was on Hwy 58 on both sides of Oakridge.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Been thinking about a kokanee trip to Odell...what was the smoke like there? :whazzup:

1pump · 07-23-2003, 10:05 PM

Not bad enough to cancel a fishing trip. Weird thing was no wind, which is really unusual up there. It was just really, really hazy. And the air reeked, bad.
I'm one of those dorks that doesn't use his A/C even when it's 100 degrees out. If I would've kept my windows rolled up and the A/C on, my eyes probably wouldn't be burning right now. [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]
If you head up there, plan on an extra 30-45 minutes for construction delays. That's why I came back over Mt Hood tonight. Sick and tired of following pilot cars and playing chicken with belly dumps. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

GutshotApe · 07-23-2003, 10:15 PM

Thanks 1pump...might head up there tomorrow afternoon...I'll decide tomorrow. ODOT has a remote camera at Willamette Pass...I'll check it for smoke conditions before I commit.

Cool Texan · 07-24-2003, 06:32 AM

I'm actually headed to the Sun River area this weekend. :shocked:

I'll have to keep an eye on this from the sounds of it.

FallRiverGuy · 07-24-2003, 08:07 AM

I saw the smoke from work yesterday about 3 pm. The fire is located almost behind the High Desert Museum to the East. The fire size was reported at 600 acres this morning from 130 last night at 6 pm. From the Les Schawb Ampitheater there would have been quite a smoke show to go with the Dylan concert.

Not much smoke in Bend this morning, it is all staying East.

CT: The fire is on the East side of HwY 97 and should not affect SunRiver other than getting smokey. We have had more smoke this year. First from the Davis fire, then the link, now #18 as it is now called.

GSA: Good luck at Odell. I was toying with the idea of fishing Odell this weekend as well.

FallRiverGuy · 07-24-2003, 02:14 PM

Picture and story about fire here

1pump · 07-24-2003, 10:43 PM

Odell looked OK today when I drove by. Oakridge was nasty, however.
There was a warning sign on Hwy 97 for smoke in LaPine, but it wasn't bad enough to create a traffic problem.

About 20 miles north of Madras I stopped and looked south towards Bend. The setting sun reflecting off that smoke plume was an impressive sight. Wish I had a camera.

BonkBonkBonk · 07-25-2003, 07:58 AM

its fire season again

atlanta idaho is burning..again... [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]

Born to Fish · 07-25-2003, 03:23 PM

BBB, just wait, you'll see a lot more activity before it's over, and unfortunately the odds are that additional firefighter fatalities are possible if folks aren't careful out there. My buddy from work is the Incident Commander of the team managing the Hot Creek Fire near Atlanta - those folks have their hands full.

The other day saw an incredible sequence of events in Glacier National Park and adjacent Flathead National Forest. What were small, relatively inactive fires suddenly blew out and now thousands of acres are ablaze and many areas in the park are closed to the public. I saw some data on fuels conditions for that area, and the Greater Yellowstone area and things could get really dicey if people get careless and/or the weather doesn't cooperate.

1pump · 07-25-2003, 04:35 PM

They had 2 fatalities in the Atlanta fire the other day. :depressed:

Born to Fish · 07-25-2003, 06:38 PM

Not so, the two fatalities occurred on the Cramer Fire on the Salmon/Chalis National Forest in an area west of Shoup. The two young guys were helitack firefighters from that forest. They had repelled from their helicopter onto a bench or ridge where they were preparing the site to be used as a helispot for this incident. The fire was reportedly on the slope[s] below them, got into flashy fuels and as a result quickly burned over their location. Both a few years experience in the trade. Both were students at Boise State - one was from Salmon, Idaho, and the other was from Emmitt, Idaho.

A National Investigation Team is on the scene now, trying to determine the details. Not that any wrong doing is suspected, but we try to learn from these unfortunate incidents ["Lessons Learned"] so that we may apply what we've learned to avoid such future loses.

We moarn their lose; it was a terrible shock to us all.

[ 07-25-2003, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: Born to Fish ]

GutshotApe · 07-25-2003, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Born to Fish:
things could get really dicey if people get careless and/or the weather doesn't cooperate.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Yup...its been the driest spring and early summer in western Oregon in years. There have already been two good-sized fires near here...the 750-ac Sulphur Cr fire 3 wks ago and the ongoing 1800-ac Fall Cr fire east of Eugene...the whole eastern sky is smoky. It is very unusual to have such an early start to fire season around here.