Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Fire Is Getting Close

My friend did come through. He's old and grumpy, just like I am. I left him a little bit of a terse message, and he called right back after that third message. We shook hands like men do and were both a bit ashamed...laughed about it and it's forgotten.

I want to thank everyone here who sent messages of support. I hate feeling helpless, but we sometimes are helpless. It is what it is, but good wishes and thoughts have me counting blessings, not cursing fate.

L2S

As long as people are allowed to purchase real estate and build in what is called outlying forestry areas they’re gonna get burned out! What amount of IQ does it require to avoid these areas remains a mystery!!

At some point in time, one would think we would start asking questions about the ability of the USFS to accomplish it's mission. The 20,000 acre Lava fire, contained on day 1 and then abandoned (see San Francisco Chronicle public apology) only to explode the next day has now cut the main Pacific Coast freight routes, US Hwy 97-closed..Interstate 5-closed, Burlington Railroad, Calif to Wash. closed long term. The only north-south highway capable of any freight volume is US 395, 2 lane, numerous mountain grades. USFS epic fail..I'm not ranking on the young folks on the firelines...I'm ranking management, USFS has become a primarily feminist run agency...with predictable results.

At some point in time, one would think we would start asking questions about the ability of the USFS to accomplish it's mission. The 20,000 acre Lava fire, contained on day 1 and then abandoned (see San Francisco Chronicle public apology) only to explode the next day has now cut the main Pacific Coast freight routes, US Hwy 97-closed..Interstate 5-closed, Burlington Railroad, Calif to Wash. closed long term. The only north-south highway capable of any freight volume is US 395, 2 lane, numerous mountain grades. USFS epic fail..I'm not ranking on the young folks on the firelines...I'm ranking management, USFS has become a primarily feminist run agency...with predictable results.

WTH, I hadn't heard about them having it contained and letting it get away. Started smelling smoke from that one, the Tennant, and maybe from some small ones near Canby last night at our place. Was quite smoky in Tulelake, Merril, and K falls yesterday. Imagine it's worse today.

And, wonder of wonders, in this heat wave and likely a near record drought, the powers that be still are allowing giant tents full of fireworks to be sold in Southern Oregon. One was to benefit the local Moose Lodge. God forbid the Mooses lose out on a season of fireworks sales.

I guarantee no one, not a single person, from NorCal went to OR to buy fireworks this year. And none of them would be so bright as to light them off around here.

Oh well, can't regulate stupidity, so maybe not a worry about those big tents.

On a side note, I had a trip over to Ashland and I like the OR 66 road, little traffic, stop at Tub Springs and fill my water bottles in the car. So I head out of Ashland after my appointment and get to where the hill starts and what's in front of me? A friggen WalMart trailer. Heading up a length restricted road. Conventional tractor with a sleeper, CRST leased to Wally's. 53' trailer. Had to be close to or over 75' and the limit for logging trucks, is 65' and they're articulated double trailer rigs. I'm betting he got to Ashland, found out 5 south was closed, didn't want to turn around and head back to Medford and take the truck route, and his GPS sent him up 66!



He hadn't even reached the really twisty sections and he couldn't keep the wheels in his lane:



When I got down neared to Keno another rig of the same sort was headed over the hill the other way. I wonder how many tried that route overnight? I wonder if any went into or over a guard rail..............where they exist. Coming down that hill into Ashland will test a set of brakes.

Glad situation has improved

+1!!!!

It's getting tense now. Another fire started just below this one, and they might connect, stretching resources. Having any property in the mountains or our sagebrush country is always a crapshoot.

To add insult to injury I pulled the 5th wheel trailer around by the old garage with low hanging power lines when I brought it back and ripped out all electrical power to my home and well. Been living on three generators and water hauled from neighbors since Friday...just before a holiday weekend. When I do it, I do it right.

It's getting tense now. Another fire started just below this one, and they might connect, stretching resources. Having any property in the mountains or our sagebrush country is always a crapshoot.

To add insult to injury I pulled the 5th wheel trailer around by the old garage with low hanging power lines when I brought it back and ripped out all electrical power to my home and well. Been living on three generators and water hauled from neighbors since Friday...just before a holiday weekend. When I do it, I do it right.

And another thing, since I'm venting here. My son is a private timberlands manager, they have a small piece of 4 sections of timber just 6 miles north of the Lava Fire, so 2 days ago, he rounds up a couple lowboys and a couple dozers and is going to doze a line between the fire and company property...you think the AUTHORITIES would let them thru the roadblock to try to preserve it? Hell no, and the really sad part is, the yo-yo with the gun didn't know who to contact to try to get permission...all Barney Fife knew, was they told him not to let any traffic through unless it was a fire vehicle...and BY God Barney followed orders.