Thousands in the Line of Fire in SW Oregon

KGW TV/AP ^ | 31 July 2002 | Jeff Barnard

[EBUCK]

OOOKKKKEEEDOOOOKKKKEEE........

Click on Picure to order sticker!

EBUCK

[Grampa Dave]

Those roads are narrow and can't handle a massive all at once evacuation even without smoke or fire hazards.

If they are smoking and 17,000 people start to mass evacuation, those roads might look like what the road from Kuwait to Iraq looked like when Saddam's thugs waited too long to leave Kuwait.

[Grampa Dave]

Try again, your sticker thing didn't work.

[Granof8]

We are near the mouth of the Rogue. About thirty 'mostly bad road' miles from Agness. The last report has the Florence fire 3-1/2 air miles from Agness.

Florence and Biscuit fires are close to merging. The Feds have upgraded to a Type 1 (major priority) fire.

Red flag warning on weather - NE winds.

From the Patterson bridge (Highway 101 over Rogue River) you can see the smoke cloud rising upriver.

Brookings has another smoky day with soot falling.

Local radio says Highway 199 (Redwood Highway) closure will be long term.

[EBUCK]

It's working for me.

Here is a link to the vanity...Link

EBUCK

[EBUCK]

KGW pic...

EBUCK

[cake_crumb]

"There was another fire down near medford the was left to burn itself out to help contain the larger one (last I heard, it worked). I understand the logic behind reducing fuels, it's just a BurrIMA that we have to wait for a fire to accomplish the task."

Yes, sometimes a natural burn can be utilized as a lucky backfire that firefighters don't have to light, or as a natural firebreak, having burnt off the available fuel. LOL-ing (at hubby) I just asked him if he knew what those rare occurrances were called in the jargon...he just said "LUCKY, becaue they don't happen often."

He's right, they don't. They probably DO have a special terminology in Timber Management jargon...but I can tell you that the terminology IS most likely different than that of the actual firefighters...and probably more printable.

[EBUCK]

Pis with link to story (click pic)

EBUCK

[Grampa Dave]

Okay enough about the fire report!

What fish are running up the mouth of the Rogue?

Are the Kings being caught just outside of where the Rogue runs into the ocean?

Are the half pounders up to the old abandoned saw mill yet?

Are any of the Zillion Coho's/silvers in yet?

Besides that is a super highway from Gold Beach to Agness! :)

Seriously, thanks for your reports and stay safe!

[EBUCK]

and probably more printable

Yah, I can imagine...

EBUCK

[Grampa Dave]

Your great sticker picture is now working!

[cake_crumb]

Oh, yes, I know. The backups in traffic will make what would normally be a one hour drive into a five hour drive. My advice...again, speaking from experience, is to tell your loved ones closest to the danger right now to get ready to get out of there if things get any worse. Just as a safetly precaution.

I'm not right there and able to listen to the scanner and radio...the people who are likely to be affected should JUDGE THE DANGER FOR THEMSELVES, using all the information at hand.

As a rule, evacuation ORDERS are for those who who were too stubbernly hopeful to have quit the area by the time the order is issued.

[EBUCK]

I'd be torn. I think I'd send my family away but I'd almost be compelled to stay and fight for my property. Probably cause a lot of trouble for fire fighters/resquers in doing so too.

EBUCK

[Grampa Dave]

Here is the traffic cam I5 at the Sexton Pass of Grants Pass:

[cake_crumb]

I have to go...but I would like to add "DON'T PANIC BECAUSE PANIC KILLS" to everyone...and no E...if you need to stat and fight a fire that size to protect your home...you will lose. Your family will be heartbroken. "DESCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR".

K?

Don't give me nightmares of brave but dead FReepers, fighting to save their homes, PLEASE.

[EBUCK]

No need for nightmares...I'm under 30 and still invincible!!!

EBUCK

[Grampa Dave]

I just got an email from a friend who told me to check on the Curry Pilot, the Brookings, Oregon Newspaper.

According to the Curry Pilot, 199 is closed due to fires in California. If that is true, how are those people in the Illinois River are supposed to evacuate if they are ordered out.

Here is the article in this mornings Curry Pilot on line edition:

HIGHWAY 199 REMAINS CLOSED

Published: July 31, 2002

Another fire that started Sunday near Patrick Creek Lodge on Highway 199 has added to the problems of area firefighters, according to U.S. Forest Service officials.

The highway was expected to remain closed until at least Friday because of the blaze, named the Shelly Creek Fire. The fire has also forced the evacuation of Patrick Creek Lodge, Patrick Creek Campground, several residences, Bar-O Boys Ranch. The fire was located north east of the the lodge on Tuesday.

Fire crews were working round the clock to contain the blaze. Containment is projected by Aug. 3, officials said.

The fire was listed at burning 200 acres Tuesday afternoon. It is expected to reach 300 to 400 acres before it is corralled, officials said.

The fire was being attacked by fire crews from the Smith River National Recreation Area, U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Park Service, Alder Camp and the Bureau of Land Management. The firefighters were pulled from the nearby Sour Biscuit Fire. More crews were expected to arrive Tuesday.

Highway 199 will re-open as soon as it is passable, possibly as early as Friday, officials said.

A command center has been set up at Del Norte High School. Informational booths are being installed in Gasquet, Hiouchi Hamlet and Del Norte County Fairgrounds.

For information, call the Smith River National Recreation Area at (707) 457-3131.

[Grampa Dave]

If you are on line, according to the Brookings, Oregon Curry Pilot, 199 is closed due to a fire in the Kali side.

Stay safe up there!

[Grampa Dave]

According to ODOT, 199 is closed:

Traffic Congestion Long term closure (>24 hours) US199, MP 41 Affected Lanes: (Northbound) Median, All Lanes, Shoulder (Southbound) Median, All Lanes, Shoulder Comments: The California-Oregon border remains closed due to forest fires in California. ODOT advises motorists to use alternate east-west routes, including Oregon Highways 42 and 38 in Douglas County and Oregon Highway 126 in Lane County, for travel between the Oregon coast and Interstate 5. California highway information is available at (800) 427-7623 (ROAD) or on the Internet at http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo or http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist1. Public Contact: - ODOT/STOC Central Point/Medford Phone: (541) 858-3103 Click Here for Additional Info Incident #: 8458 Last Updated: 7/29/2002 4:39 pm

[Grampa Dave]

So what is going on re 199?

Is it closed, open or are they saying that it is closed to keep others off the road if it is needed for evacuation?

This is from the top part of this thread I posted this morning. Jeff Barnard wrote this article this morning:

Thousands in the Line of Fire in SW Oregon KGW TV/AP | 31 July 2002 | Jeff Barnard

Posted on 07/31/2002 9:14 AM Pacific by Grampa Dave

Thousands in the Line of Fire in SW Oregon 07/31/2002 By JEFF BARNARD, Associated Press Writer

Officials say there is just one main route out of the fire zone in southern Oregon's Illinois Valley -- U-S 199 South -- along with three back roads. Josephine County sheriff's deputies say signs pointing out evacuation routes will go up today. ============================================================

So what is happening re 199? Is it closed? Or are they saying that it is closed to keep travelers, the press and others off of the road if it is needed for evacuation?