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Good morning and this will get us started re what is happening in SW Oregon with the former Kalmiopsis Wilderness burning up and endangering the population and assets of two counties.

Please post your observations and what you hear.

This is for our faithful anti enviralist pingers.

Please don't ping each other and remove the following from your ping lists for this thread:

Granof 8, auntb, archie bunker on steroids, wanderin, salvation, blackie, dixie chick 2000, by by bill

Then remove: Cedar Dave, aaabest, bob the nailer, sauropod, country dummy, tail gunner joe as they are in my semi ping lists on the Oregon fires.

Other Freepers if you want to be added opr deledted from these pings just notify your favorite pinger: mad fly, farmfriend, water dragon, back hoe, ernest at the beach

Monday morning update

376,500 Acres

Another smoky day in paradise says KURY radio.

Forest Service spokesman announced meetings at Winchuck fire hall at noon to discuss burnout operations on south end of fire, and meetings in Agness and Brookings this evening.

Fire activity much the same the last 2 to 3 days. Quail prairie continues to spot, working on line from Packer's cabin to Tolman ranch. Fire suppression foam has been used on some buildings at Tolman ranch. Couple of problem areas on both sides of Biscuit fire.

Anticipates fire will reach 500,000 acres, with burnouts, before control in November.

Pre-evacuation notice has been given for the last four miles of North Bank Pistol River road. The notice is based on weather and wind conditions.

PILOT NEWS ALERT: MONDAY MORNING BISCUIT FIRE UPDATE

Published: August 12, 2002

Dear readers,

Here's what's new this morning on what is now called the Biscuit Fire:

-- A new pre-evacuation alert has been issued to five homes in the Upper Pistol River drainage this morning. This is similar to the alerts already in effect for residents of the Agness area and the Wilderness Retreat area.

-- The fire has moved over containment lines in the vicinity of both Snow Camp Mountain and Quail Prairie Mountain, with fire crews assigned "chase" the fire rather than prepare to stop it.

-- A large burn-out of up to 20,000 acres is being conducted along Bear Camp Road today in an effort to secure the containment line protecting Agness, Illahee and Oak Flat at the northwest corner of the fire.

-- No weather alerts or warnings have been issued for today, but firefighters are still concerned about hot and dry conditions in the fire area.

-- There are two community meetings tonight (Monday, Aug. 12) with fire officials and county emergency officials. One is set for 7 p.m. at Azalea Middle School in Brookings; the other is at 7 p.m. in Agness.

Current statistics: the entire fire is listed at 376,492 acres, with 25 percent containment and just over 100 miles of containment lines left to build. That eventual line may encompass 500,000 acres, according to some estimate. There are now 6,100 personnel assigned to the fire, and the total cost to date is listed at $48.8 million.

There continue to be large Fire Camps at Curry County fairgrounds, Upper Chetco School and Del Norte High School. There are open American Red Cross shelters at Riley Creek School in Gold Beach, Chetco Senior Center in Brookings, and Crescent Elk School in Crescent City.

The Curry Coastal Pilot will continue to post News Alerts throughout the fire emergency. For up-to-date fire information phone numbers and Web sites, visit our Web site at www.currypilot.com

For a special "Thank You Firefighters" poster to place in your window, pick up a copy of The Pilot's Saturday, Aug. 10, edition, available at news stands and stores through Tuesday.

Thanks for using The Pilot,

Charles Kocher
Publisher

This fire was less than a mile from my house:

August 12, 2002

West Eugene grass fire doused
By GARRET JAROS
The Register-Guard

Flames raced through dry grass and brush in west Eugene on Sunday afternoon, threatening homes, power lines and an apartment complex.

About 30 firefighters attacked the blaze that broke out behind the Wal-Mart store at 4550 W. 11th Ave. just after 2:05 p.m. The flames were quickly fanned south by high winds out of the northwest.

Burning grass, brush and blackberries on West 18th Avenue pose a challenge for firefighters battling a Sunday afternoon fire.

Officials closed West 18th Avenue between Bertelsen and Willow Creek roads, using it as a fire line to prevent the flames from jumping to open grass and brush on the road's south side, where the fire could have a straight shot to the forested south hills.

Large chunks of black ash fell from the sky as firefighters scrambled to run hose and protect the two homes that lay in the fire's path on the north side of 18th Avenue.

Mark Jameson battled the blaze with a garden hose at the home of his parents, retirees Bob and Vera Jameson, first from their yard and then from their roof as flames lighted up the blackberry bushes and scrub trees bordering the property.

Other neighbors brought their hoses and joined in the fight, or helped fire crews pull their hoses straight.

No fire hydrants were in the immediate area, but crews quickly closed in and held the blaze at bay.

The nearest hydrant was in front of the Redwood Park Apartments, which borders the east side of the two threatened homes.

At one point, only a line of 100-foot tall sequoia trees, a major power line and a 40-yard swath of lawn separated the flames from the apartment complex.

The blaze was declared contained just before 4:30 p.m., but not before it had consumed an estimated 50 acres. Crews watched the site late into the night, and a dozer will probably be called out today to dig a perimeter around the burned area.

Late afternoon "is the worst part of the day for winds," said Randall Groves, Eugene deputy fire chief. "The heavy wind out of the northwest (is what) got us into trouble."

Eighteen emergency vehicles responded to the fire, including four water tenders, three of which hold 3,000 gallons of water. Crews from Eugene, Lane County Fire District 1 and the Oregon Department of Forestry were on the scene.

Investigators have yet to determine what caused the blaze and weren't offering any guesses. A suspicious fire broke out in an abandoned shed behind the same Wal-Mart on Saturday.

Groves warned that similar fires could be on the horizon.

"We're really just getting into our fire season now," he said. "The valley just jumped from moderate to high in the last two weeks. Traditionally the two worst months are August and September because of a combination of dry conditions and increased winds."

Oops. #54 was from kgw.com