It’s always that way here but more extreme this year. They can’t hardly forecast the weather 24 hours ahead. Yesterday, today was supposed to be S/SW wind 5-9 mph. As of this morning, with gusts to 20 mph but another forecast and even another section of NWS website made no mention of gusts.
Been raking and moving stuff to burn an acre. I could set it now and go rake two areas before it got there since I’m back burning which goes slow(and thorough) but the gusts just started so it’s a no go for now.
Maybe it will die down around sunset like it tends to do but they’re calling for gusts to 23 mph tonight. Gusts to 28 tomorrow and rain tomorrow night. Oh well. It will dry out again some day. I made sure anything I moved went to a spot where it can stay a while and not be in my way.
I’ve still got a few small spots up around the house I can burn. Those will be over in a few minutes. The acre would take up to an hour and there’s dead wood on the ground that could catch and smolder/burn for two days.
Sure wish it could go from not raining to raining here without the required 36 hours of gusty wind. Seems that’s also required any time it cools off or gets warmer. Volatile is right.
We’re under a burn ban: no burning before 4 pm & after midnight. If you start a wild fire, you’re in for some big fines/expense. We do some burning of tree debris, but we only do it when the winds are very calm or it’s dead still, which isn’t that often.
In 2024, there were major wildfires on the mountain (houses were lost, major road over the mountain had to be closed when fire jumped it) & it took a week to get things under ‘control’. There were a couple of fires in the valley, too. I happened to be watching when the big fire crested the ridge on the mountains just behind our house - scary stuff watching the flames. Sunset with the smoke was pretty spectacular - shades of orange primarily.