[blackie]

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."

[blackie]

August 12, 2002

Westfir fire crews reach 60 percent containment

WESTFIR - Officials declared the 136-acre Hemlock fire 60 percent contained Sunday, but cautioned that high temperatures and east winds expected during the next several days will test fire lines.

More than 500 firefighters are battling north and west of town, and suppression costs have reached an estimated $1.35 million, said Debbie Norton, spokeswoman for the Northwest Oregon Interagency Incident Management Team.

Crews on Sunday began using infrared fire detectors to locate any remaining hot spots and spent much of the day felling burning snags, Norton said. The cause of the fire, which began last Tuesday, is still being investigated.

On Sunday morning, a helicopter and fire engine assigned to the Hemlock fire helped Oregon Department of Forestry officials fight a quarter-acre fire on private land near a day-use area on the northeast edge of Hills Creek Lake. The cause of that fire is also unknown.

[Grampa Dave]

How scary.

Hopefully, you have some good fire lanes around your house.

However, when the wind is blowing burning embers like in this situation, you can't have a wide enough fire lane.

Have the enviral tree hugging whackos in your area prevented blackberry bush/brush control?

30 years ago we lived in Marin County out west on Lucas Valley. We had a cedar/shake shingle roof. Our developement ran along Lucas Valley Road running east to west. Natural grass courtesy of the whaco's then surrounded the development.

I mounted two rain birds sprinkers, one on each side of my house and ran a hose down to a spigot on each side. I ran the sprinklers about 5 minutes each morning and each afternoon to soak the shingles. Then I showed my sons how to turn them as well as my wife if a fire started around them.

Most neighbors copied them, however, one day I heard our dog barking. I went out and she had one of the Marin Enviral Whacko neighbors against our fence with a hammer and ladder. He had intended to climb up and take down my Rain Birds. He didn't like what they did to the ambiance of the neighborhood.

I asked him to leave and he gestured at me with the hammer. A second later his head was bleeding all over my fence and his clymer had hurt my toes. He laid there moaning until the cops came out and advised him to leave and put an injunction against him coming within 100 yards of my house. I told him that if he came back in my yard, I would have the dog rip his balls off. Then I would really get mean.

Now the forestry service is putting Rain Birds on roofs all around the fires in Oregon.

Stay safe.