Fires burning across Oregon (Still!)

Oregon Live/ AP ^ | 20 August 2002 | AP Staff

[Grampa Dave]

Fires burning across Oregon (Still)

The Associated Press 8/20/02 1:51 AM

Major wildfires were burning on about 560,000 acres in Oregon on Monday. About 10,507 firefighters were working in the state. The Northwest Interagency Communication Center is tracking eight major fires in Oregon. Top priorities for fire officials Monday were the Biscuit fire, covering 448,857 acres, the 6,000-acre Apple fire and the 56,900-acre Tiller Complex.

BISCUIT FIRE (formerly called Florence Fire; name changed on 8/11/02)

Started: Florence fire started 26 miles west of Grant Pass, 07/13/02; Sour Biscuit started 17 miles southwest of Cave Junction.

Size: 448,857 acres.

Containment: 40 percent.

Evacuations: Illinois Valley is no longer under an evacuation notice, 8/16/02. Agness, on northwest corner of the fire, is on 24-hour evacuation notice. Thirty homes evacuated near Oak Flat, 8/15/02.

Damage: 4 residences and 8 outbuildings.

On scene: 6,775 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.

APPLE

Started: 21 miles east of Glide, 8/16/02

Size: 6,000 acres

Containment: Zero.

Evacuations: Three campgrounds evacuated. Umpqua Trail closed and portions of North Umpqua River closed to whitewater rafting.

Damage: None.

On Scene: 169 firefighters.

Cause: Under investigation.

TILLER COMPLEX

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

Size: 56,900 acres.

Containment: 45 percent.

Evacuations: South Umpqua Road closed at milepost 6. Fifteen residences threatened. Tribal ceremonial grounds and critical cultural resources are threatened.

Damage: No listed damage.

On scene: 2,116 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.

MONUMENT-MALHEUR COMPLEX (Monument and Malheur fires merged under one management team, 8/11/02)

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

Size: 44,062 acres

Containment: 97 percent.

Evacuations: None at this time.

Damage: None.

On Scene: 371 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.

EAST ANTELOPE

Started: 5 miles east of Ashland, 8/14/02

Size: 1,950 acres

Containment: 100 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: None.

On Scene: 585 firefighters.

Cause: Tree limbs touched power lines.

MOUNT MARION

Started: 6 miles southeast of Marion Forks, 8/14/02

Size: 100 acres.

Containment: 90 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: None.

On Scene: 311 firefighters.

Cause: Under investigation.

SIUSLAW RIVER

Started: 15 miles southwest of Veneta, 8/17/02

Size: 530 acres

Containment: 30 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: None.

On Scene: 300 firefighters.

Cause: Under investigation.

LAVA

Started: 15 miles northwest of Christmas, 8/18/02

Size: 1,800

Containment: Zero

Evacuations: None

Damage: None

On Scene: 29 firefighters

Cause: Lightning

------

Source: The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center

[Grampa Dave]

Notice that the Rabid Watermelon Green Jihadists seldom are seen planting a tree. They are setting in one to raise the unemployment in Oregon or some other state.

They are blocking the logical removal of dead and dying trees from the forests.

Their end goal is zero logging in any federal or state lands, including the salvage logging of dead trees due to their fire agendas.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up and link!

[Grampa Dave]

Here is a reasonably up todate map of the Biscuit Fire. It was date 19 August which means the data points came from 18 August.

Finding anything not burnt in the former Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area is a little hard to find. Great job, you al Qaeda Tree Huggers of Oregon! Your lust for good fire just burnt up 180,000 acres of wilderness!

[Grampa Dave]

Some bad news here. Particuliarly with hotter temps and wind coming tomorrow:

Burning Forces Families to Flee Homes
08/20/2002

By JEFF BARNARD, Associated Press Writer/KGWTV


Just when things were looking better on the north end of the massive Biscuit fire, some unauthorized burning sent a spot fire across the Illinois River, and about a dozen families evacuated their homes.


By Tuesday morning, the spot fire near the Oak Flat section of the community of Agnes was corralled at 50 acres, with no homes lost, and operations elsewhere were going well, with overall containment up to 50 percent, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Wayne Johnson said.



Smoke rises high into the sky in the Biscuit Fire in Southwestern Oregon. (biscuitfire.com Photo)

"We're a little shaken," said Oak Flat resident Willis Crosse, a fishing guide and volunteer firefighter, who elected to stay with his wife, Deborah, to keep watch over their home while most of their neighbors left. "It was quite a show.


"When (the fire) got to the other side, it was just like a blowtorch sitting at the bottom of the mountain. They had crews on it all night. They foamed a couple of the houses here."


The fire erupted Monday afternoon just as deputies were notifying the residents of the 15 homes along the Illinois River at Oak Flat and Spud Road that an evacuation order in place since Thursday had been downgraded to a pre-evacuation notice. Most people had been staying at their homes, despite the evacuation order. Under the order, anyone who left could not return.


Johnson said firefighters had been clearing around a house Monday afternoon, and the crew boss believed he had permission to burn off the debris. Wind whipped the embers across the Illinois River. Helicopters and firefighters standing by were able to control the small fire.


Hotshots Harden Fire Lines



Firefighters battle a burning log in the Biscuit Fire. (biscuitfire.com Photo)

Meanwhile, hotshot crews fire-hardened the last five miles of containment lines keeping the fire out of a whitewater rafting section of the Rogue River on Monday, marking a turning point on the blaze.


Ignited July 13 by lightning, the Biscuit fire has grown to 471,087 acres -- two-thirds the size of Rhode Island. There were 75 miles of fire line left to complete.


The fire on the Siskiyou National Forest in southwestern Oregon and northern California is so big that it is being fought in four zones, each with its own management team. The cost has risen to $84.5 million, with 6,607 people involved.


Zone 1 covers the eastern two-thirds of the fire, from the California border, through the Illinois Valley -- where an evacuation alert for 17,000 people was lifted Friday -- and up to the Bear Camp Road, the primary shuttle route between Galice and Agness for rafters on the wilderness section of the Rogue.


"We would not want to characterize things as all buttoned up yet, but things are looking very good," on the eastern flank, said fire spokeswoman Rochelle Desser.


Umpqua Fire Forces Evacuations



Fire crews were able to harden the containment lines Monday. (biscuitfire.com Photo)

Meanwhile, the U.S. Forest Service battled a second fire that quickly grew to 6,500 acres on the Umpqua National Forest east of Roseburg, forcing highway and campground closures along the popular fly fishing section of the North Umpqua River.


Located 21 miles east of Glide, the Apple Fire was expected to continue growing to the east and south to eventually merge with the Tiller Complex, which was 45 percent contained after burning 59,400 acres.


The cause was under investigation.

[justshe]

I hope GW takes some time to answer questions when he visits this week. Because we sure HAVE alot....like why only west side forests will get the fast track for thinning, if the bill passes!

[Grampa Dave]

Powell Butte 2-Alarm Wildfire Out
08/20/2002

By ABE ESTIMADA, JIM PARKER, and TRACY BARRY, KGW Staff


Firefighters from Portland and Gresham mopped up a hilltop blaze in east Portland that exploded about noon and threatened to advance on nearby homes.


The two-alarm, brush and grass fire at the popular Powell Butte Nature Park blackened about 15 acres before firefighters brought the blaze under control shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday. The cause of the fire is unknown.


At first, firefighters were concerned that hikers were in the 600-acre nature area. They concentrated their efforts on preventing the blaze from spreading to houses sprinkling the hillsides.



Smoke from the Powell Butte fire. (KGW Photo)

The situation was desperate enough that at one point, firefighters pondered calling in helicopter drops.


“It’s a matter of trying to corral the fire so it doesn’t get down into where the homes are,” said Portland Fire Bureau spokesman Neil Heesacker.


Plumes of smoke could be seen for miles in the Portland metro area. The emergency shut down nearby streets, notably 162nd Avenue near Powell Boulevard.


Dry grass, brush and blackberry bushes fed the flames. Water was also in short supply when firefighters made their initial attack about 12:45 p.m.


“One of the problems is you have a mountain there, and you don’t have a lot of access there where you can drive up your fire engines up those steep hills to where…the fire is burning,” Heesacker said.


Firefighters rushed water up the hillsides, using four-wheel drive vehicles towing 200-gallon water tanks.


After a second alarm was sounded, six more brush units converged on the scene. That force included nine engine companies, a water tender and a unit from the Gresham fire department.




At least one occupant of a nearby home said firefighters gained the upper hand on the blaze fairly quickly.


“When it first started, we saw a lot of smoke, we could see it, but it wasn’t so thick,” said Tina Johnson, a caregiver who was caring for a patient at 3930 SE 162nd Ave.


Johnson first noticed trouble when she heard sirens closing in on the manufactured home complex, which harbors dozens of houses. She stepped outside to check it out.


“(A neighbor) pointed over the mountain, over the trees and told me where the fire was,” Johnson said.


Johnson said the road was blocked off. Only fire engines from Portland and Gresham and police cars entered the neighborhood. With more firefighters and engines parked in front of the home, she said she didn’t feel threatened by the fire.


“Not with this many fire trucks, no,” she said.

[Grampa Dave]

Three Firefighters Hurt in Siuslaw Fire
08/20/2002

By kgw.com and AP Staff


Three firefighters have been injured while fighting the Siuslaw fire between Eugene and Florence. None of the injuries are reported to be serious.


The Siuslaw fire is now burning on about 725 acres of public and private land. It was first reported Saturday and is now 35 percent contained. On Monday night, firefighters lit backburns to help stop the blaze from spreading.


One firefighter fell off a vertical drop and suffered five broken ribs. A second firefighter looking for the first one also fell, and suffered a hairline fracture of the wrist.


A third firefighter suffered torn ligaments when he slipped on a rock.
None of the three were immediately identified, but all were taken to a Eugene hospital and reported in good condition.


About 100 firefighters, 4 helicopters, 5 water tenders, 5 engines and two bulldozers. Fire commanders have asked for 400 more firefighters to help fight the wildfire.


To help bolster the firefighting efforts, the Oregon Department of Forestry is sending 120 soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard's 1249th Engineer Battalion to the front lines.


It is the third time in the last 12 months that the unit has been called up to assist in fire suppression. But their mission in the Siuslaw River fire will be different this time because they won't be on mop-up duty, said Maj. Jeff Julum, a spokesman for the Oregon National Guard. Instead, the soldiers will be used to battle fires directly alongside regular firefighters.


Steep terrain filled with heavy fuels have made the Siuslaw River Valley difficult to battle. Winds transport firebrands, igniting spot fires. Burning logs rolling downhill have crossed containment lines.


The fire was first reported on Saturday by a passing motorist. When firefighters arrived, they found a quarter of an acre burned. But thanks to low humidity, hot weather and northwest winds, the fire has spread. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

[B4Ranch]

When is that rain going to come and put this fire out?

[B4Ranch]

Dave, I think they need to rename this fire to the BURNT BUSCUIT FIRE.

[Grampa Dave]

Incredible pictures! Thanks for posting them!

[Grampa Dave]

Burnt Biscuit would be a good name for the fire.

It should be out by Thanksgiving or Christmas!

Remember to the criminally insane Green Jihadists, this is a good fire.

[AuntB]

Oh, that's not good. I'd hoped that fire was toning down...looks like President Bush will get to see some burn after all. Strangely, today in the Rogue Valley is the clearest day we've had.....in I can't remember when.....

The news is out on his speech and visit, so here are the particulars.

Pres. Bush will arrive at the Medford, Or. Airport Thursday on Air Force One at 9:55 a.m.(pacific) and then tour some of the fire damage near Ruch. He will make his speech at the Compton Arena at the Jackson County Expo Park/Fairgrounds in Central Point at 12:45 p.m. The speech is by ticket given by invitation only, so I do not know if there will be any other access for the public.

I will try to take pictures!!

[blackie]

Oregon is still very dry, even with the rain showers today !!

Be ever vigilant !!

[blackie]

That fire is around 20 miles from here...

Hang 'em High !!

FMCDH !!

[blackie]

Thanks AuntB, take notes and ask questions if you get a chance.

Be ever vigilant !!

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

Molon Labe !!

[Grampa Dave]

Stay safe. Predictable how your left wing Green Weenie Fishwrap has been skewering the stories to make the fire fighters look like the bad guys.

If these phoney toadies hate bulldozers so much, they should immediately stop driving and riding a bike on any road. Then any paved trail got that way with a bull dozer, so they should never walk on a paved trail.

If their home was built on an area graded by a bull dozer, they should tear it down and donate the land to homeless eco freaks or something.

[blackie]

Great pics, thanks !!

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

Molon Labe !!

[blackie]

Yep, the should all start living in TeePee's and walk everwhere they go...

Give 'em enough rope...

The day of reckoning is at hand !!

Hang 'em High !!

Molon Labe !!

Mañana... :o)

[Salvation]

Still nothing on katu about Bush coming to Oregon. Dims, no doubt.

Only thing over there is this little piece:

August 20, 2002

Crews Contain Bluff Fire
Near University of Portland

PORTLAND - History repeated itself in north Portland Tuesday, as a bluff fire near the University of Portland sent firefighters scrambling.

It was a scene eerily reminiscent of last year, though in this case firefighters quickly contained the smaller blaze; the evening fire just didn't have the fuel to feed it.

Crews contained the 2-alarm bluff fire shortly after it broke out about 6 p.m. Tuesday approximately 6 blocks west of the University of Portland. Hot spots remained as of 11:10 p.m. Tuesday night.

It didn't seem likely that another bluff fire would strike the same area scarred last summer by the 5-alarm blaze on the bluff, but it did.

Once again neighbors grabbed hoses and buckets. Once again firefighters lined the ridge. Once again the bluff was ablaze.

"When they started saying North Wall street for incident command, I thought that is the very same place," said Neil Heesacker with the Portland Fire Bureau--the very same place, the very same month as last year where flames raced up the bluff near Willamette Boulevard.

Firefighters believe sparks from a train ignited a bluff blaze on August 8, 2001 which scorched the earth and threatened nearby homes.

Firefighters have not yet pinpointed a cause of Tuesday evening's fire, the second urban fire sparked on Tuesday. There were 45-50 firefighters on scene as the blaze burned.

[Salvation]

And from kgw site:

Oregon Fires

Oregon	Number of Fires: 5	Acres: 558,159	New Fires: 0	Fires Contained: 2
Siuslaw River Fire ( Oregon Dept. of Forestry):  440 acres at 10 percent contained.  This fire is burning 18 miles west of Veneta.  Rolling debris and difficult terrain are hampering containment efforts.
Lava (BLM Lakeview District):  2,200 acres at 40 percent contained.  This fire, which started on July 13th and was previously reported as part of the Toolbox Complex, is 15 miles north and northwest of Christmas Valley.  Limited access and difficult terrain are impeding containment efforts.
Apple (Umpqua National Forest):  6,500 acres at 5 percent contained.  This fire is 21 miles east of Glide.  Twenty homes and several outbuildings are threatened; structure protection is in place.  Local road closures are in effect. Information: Call (541) 496-3532
Biscuit (Siskiyou National Forest):  471,087 acres at 50 percent contained.  The fire is burning 26 miles southwest of Grants Pass.  Evacuations are in place for residents on Spud Road and in the Oak Flats area south of Agness.  Residents in the upper Pistol River drainage and Agness remain under an evacuation advisory.  Galice, Agness and adjacent areas are threatened; structure protection is in place. Information: Call (541) 471-6681or visit the Biscuit Fire web site
Tiller Complex (Umpqua National Forest):  59,400 acres at 49 percent contained.  This complex, consisting of eight large and numerous small fires, is on the Tiller Ranger District and in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness Area, 25 miles east of Canyonville.  Sixty-seven homes are threatened; structure protection is in place. Information: Call (541) 825-1002 or (541) 825-3201 or visit the Tiller Complex web site