More crews arriving as flames keep spreading, (Forest Fires in Oregon)

The Oregon ^ | 7/18/2002 | John Enders

[Grampa Dave]

More crews arriving as flames keep spreading

By JOHN ENDERS, The Associated Press, 7/18/02 4:08 AM

SISTERS, Ore. (AP) -- Firefighters from several states are on their way to Oregon.

And just in time: there are plenty of fires here for them to fight.

Ten Oregon crews that were fighting fires in other Western states will be returning home by the weekend. Joining them will be firefighters from Alaska, California, Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee, fire officials said late Wednesday.

And, on July 29, a battalion from an Army base in Kansas will be arriving in Oregon.

Crews already on the ground continue to struggle against gusty winds and rugged terrain as they seek to control wildfires burning on more than 120,000 acres of brush and timber in vast stretches of Oregon.

New wildfires are flaring before others are contained.

The Geneva 2 fire, 10 miles northeast of this tourist town on the eastern flank of the Cascades, grew from 400 to 1,000 acres.

"The fire is very volatile and unpredictable. We're concerned about Sisters and residences along Highway 6," said fire spokesman Dan Wood.

As the fire burned up steep, rocky gullies and along ridgetops, with bitterbrush and juniper trees exploding into flames after being ignited by wind-driven embers, three helicopters dumped water onto the lines and the nearby spot fires.

Seven bulldozers, including one huge D-9 with a blade more than 12 feet wide, dug a fire lines into the rock and dirt.

"Even with those big dozers, the going is pretty slow," said Mike Carlson, a district supervisor on the Geneva 2 fire.

It might be slow, but it's also effective. By late Wednesday, the Geneva 2 fire was actually a bright spot, fire officials said.

In southern Oregon, the evacuation of 200 homes outside the town of Ruch was recommended as the Squire Peak fire neared, driven by freak winds. About a third of the residents chose to leave.

The fire burned an outbuilding and a garage but no homes. Residents were allowed to return when the winds calmed. But they remained on alert.

Three other towns in southern and eastern Oregon could become threatened by wildfires nearly at their doorsteps: Unity, Prairie City and Paisley.

Fire commanders say Oregon's wildfires could worsen because of higher temperatures that are expected over the next couple of days.

"It looks like the weather is going to turn on us," said David Widmark, spokesman for the Northwest Interagency Fire Center in Portland.

Fire commanders on Wednesday drew up a new priority list as they juggled their resources.

First priority was given to the Winter complex, burning on about 25,000 acres outside Paisley. Roughly 30 homeowners have been advised to evacuate, officials said.

Next in priority was the Squire Peak fire, followed by the Toolbox complex, which is burning on nearly 30,000 acres north of the Winter complex.

So far, the only homes that have been destroyed are 18 residences that were consumed by the Eyerly fire last weekend. Firefighters have been making progress against that fire, which on Wednesday was 65 percent contained.

Other wildfires included:

--Monument fire, 18,700 acres, nine miles southwest of Unity, 5 percent contained.

--Grizzly complex, 4,105 acres, 15 miles west of Lakeview, 2 percent contained.

--Mahogany complex, 24,500 acres, 15 miles northwest of Jordan Valley, 30 percent contained.

[blackie]

Thanks for link...we went Elkton using the back way yesterday, there was much smoke just before we got to Drain.

Stop the attacks by the wacko, extreme left-wing, enviro-nazis terrorist's on our Freedoms !!

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

Molon Labe !!

[dixiechick2000]

"A few days of really high heat, and that dry North Wind or East Wind can make areas that were safe a week ago into tinder boxes."

Yes, I've heard the weather/fire reports.
They are returning home Sat., if not sooner. I'll breathe a sigh of relief when I hear from them!

[Grampa Dave]

I really after hearing and reading about the Los Alamos fires and other fires last year and this year, have come to the conclusion they don't want to stop the fires.

They want to do a half a$$ed job of containment that results in massive burns, loss of homes and businesses in these areas and maybe causing bankruptcy to farmers and ranchers in these areas.

That results in more Rural Cleansing by these Enviral Nazis. Fire is just another weapon in their rural cleansing arsenal. So those massive Russian planes are not wanted by the Druids in charge of allowing fires to consume our forests to rurally cleanse more Americans from the rural areas.

[Grampa Dave]

You posted, "Thanks for link...we went Elkton using the back way yesterday, there was much smoke just before we got to Drain.

So where was the direction the smoke was coming from and where was that fire?

Any word to as how the fires near you got started?

You and your family stay safe out there with those Green Anarchists!

[Grampa Dave]

You have our prayers re them getting back home safely.

Everyone in Oregon needs to be vigilant re the potential of the eco terrorism potential for their families this summer.

[blackie]

Don't know the direction, it's all mountain and valleys, it was an overcast day along with the smoke, it just hung around the low areas...

Lightning started it, that's the case with most of the Oregon fires.

We're doing great, thanks, now fear here... :o)

[Joe Hadenuf]

I hope the weather changes for Oregon. It's a great, beautiful state. Good luck to all up there and stay safe....

[Grampa Dave]

So do I.

I live in the Kali wine country and we evidently are getting high altitude smoke from their fires this afternoon.

Oregon was very hot last week and will be hot this week.

Like you I hope that our freeper friends and their families and friends stay safe.

[Sir_Ed]

I work in Medford, live in Eagle Point, and one of my co-worker's Mom and sister's house, in Ruch, is in danger of burning up.

I really dread what the rest of summer will bring...

Ed

[Joe Hadenuf]

I know your in Cal Dave.

Hard to believe you are seeing smoke from there. What is that, about 350 miles plus away?

[Joe Hadenuf]

You got any recent word on the Sisters area fire? Just curious, as I have been up in the Bend area and it's a super nice area. Good luck to you all...Thanks...

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

Basin is full of smoke. Guard is starting to activate more an d more folks.

[JustAmy]

I have relatives in Redmond, OR and was told the air is unhealthy due to fires all around them.
When will people wake up to what the Eco-terrorists are doing to our great nation? Makes a lot of sense ..... Save it from the loggers so it can burn uncontained!

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you Madfly, this is terrible..all these fires.

[Grampa Dave]

I hope that your relatives stay safe and that the smoke is limited and their only problem.

I had thought about driving up to the Deshutes River and staying in the Sisters/Redmond area for some fishing and have my wife fly up to Redmond on a Thursday night. We love that area.

The fires that will happen this summer due to the rural cleansing agendas of the vile green nazis will damage our national economies and state/local economies in the billions of dollars. Every vile green organization which has forced their no harvest and no clean up agendas should be sued by private citizens in civil court.

People chose to live in these wonderful areas of Oregon, and the vile enviral nazis work 24/7 to move them out. Fire is a Rural Cleansing tool/agenda of these Enviral Nazis. They would love to see most rural/country families burnt out and have to leave Oregon.

[Grampa Dave]

The smoke was high and it was coming down with the north wind. I don't believe that we have any fires here close by. There was a fire just inland on the Kali/Oregon border east of Crescent City and Brookings. That could have had an off shore breeze when the weather heated up and drove the smoke off and over the ocean. Then when we got our evening coast breezes, it could have picked it up and brought it here.

We are at least 300 to 350 airmiles to that fire.

4 years ago during the Clintoon let it all burn down forestry program with no real network news, there was a huge fire west of the Trinity Lake area. It burnt out of control for about 6 weeks and there was no news about the fire. The networks just spike the news. We went up North on 101 on vacation to the Brookings, Or. area in September about 6 weeks after those fires had started.

Being an old forest fire fighter I saw the smoke about 20 miles south of Eureka and told my wife. She laughed. She stopped laughing when she start seeing the smoke and reading the electronic signs warning about smoke hazards.

The smoke from the fire was coming in from the east just north of Eureka and out over the ocean like a finger it went out several hundred miles and it was from the Arcata area to just south of Crescent City.

That fire burned out of control until the fall/winter rains came up. The point to this long story is that smoke can travel hundreds of miles out here and then come back around down or up airstream. On strong north wind days, we would have that smoke here in the wine country until the rains came to that area.

[Grampa Dave]

Joe, here is the National Fire Map to see the fires in Oregon. So the smoke that I saw, probably came down from the north at least 300 to 350 air miles. Those fires would be #1 through 6. (National Fire Map)

[Grampa Dave]

Here is the latest update on the Oregon fires. Time for Grampa to go bed:

Fires burning on about 165,000 acres across Oregon
The Associated Press, 7/19/02 12:41 AM


Several major wildfires were burning on about 165,000 acres in Oregon on Thursday.


EYERLY FIRE

Started: 15 miles NE of Camp Sherman, 07/09/02.

Size: 18,100 acres.

Containment: 65 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: 18 houses destroyed.

On scene: 964 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


MALHEUR COMPLEX

Started: 8-25 miles from Prairie City, 07/12/02.

Size: 7,800 acres.

Containment: 15 percent.

Evacuations: None

Damage: Unknown

On scene: 628 firefighters

Cause: Lightning


TILLER COMPLEX

Started: Outside Tiller, east of Canyonville off Interstate 5, 07/12/02.

Size: 2,127 acres.

Containment: 4 percent

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown.

On scene: 587 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


WINTER FIRE

Started: 10 miles NW of Paisley, 07/12/02.

Size: 29,300 acres

Containment: 10 percent

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Closed highway.

On scene: 516 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


SQUIRE PEAK COMPLEX

Started: two miles east of Ruch, 07/13/02.

Size: 2,581 acres

Containment: 60

Evacuations: None

Damage: Unknown

On scene: 480 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


TOOL BOX COMPLEX

Started: 10 miles south of Silver Lake, 07/12/02.

Size: 44,300 acres

Containment: 5 percent.

Evacuations: None

Damage: Unknown

On scene: 170 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.


DEER POINT FIRE

Started: 27 miles north of Chelan, 07/15/02.

Size: 3,840 acres

Containment: 10 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown.

On scene: 175 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


FLAGTAIL FIRE

Started: 13 miles west of Seneca, 07/15/02

Size: 6,000 acres.

Containment: 0 percent

Evacuations: Bear Valley Work Center.

Damage: Unknown

On scene: Unknown.

Cause: Lightning.



NORTH UMPQUA COMPLEX

Started: 25 miles east of Glide, 07/12/02.

Size: 283 acres.

Containment:15 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown.

On Scene: 69 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


MONUMENT FIRE

Started: 9 miles southwest of Unity, 07/12/02

Size: 24,700

Containment: 5 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown.

On Scene: 217 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


GRIZZLY FIRE

Started: 15 miles west of Lakeview.

Size: 5,600 acres.

Containment: 30 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown.

On scene: 307 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.


747 FIRE

Started: Northeast of Paulina in Black Canyon Wilder, 07/13/22.

Size: 5,700 acres

Containment: 0 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown.

On scene: 120 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.


BISCUIT FIRE

Started: 17 miles southwest of Cave Junction, 07/13/02

Size: 2,450 acres

Containment: 2 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown.

On scene: 120 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.


MAHAGONY COMPLEX FIRE

Started: 15 miles NW of Jordan Valley, 07/14/02.

Size: 36,520 acres

Containment: 50 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown.

On Scene: 80 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.


ROSEBURG COMPLEX

Started: outside of Roseburg, 07/12/02

Size: 700 acres.

Containment: 60 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown.

On Scene:

Cause: Lightning.


----

[EBUCK]

Good Luck Sir Ed. Stay safe!

EBUCK

[Joe Hadenuf]

Thanks Dave. Dang, that's a lot of fires....