American Fire

Go ahead...Let it out.

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hemingray
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American Fire

Postby hemingray » Fri Aug 16, 2013 7:31 am

It's so frustrating to watch the progress of the American fire as it burns through areas I've ridden many times. Today it's at 5,400 acres and 35% contained, but there are now over 1,200 personnel assigned.

It's certainly burned most of this view:

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It's gotten to the jeep road down to the river, one of the more fun roads I've ever explored. The lesser used roads tend to get overwhelmed with fallen trees and never get opened again - I hope that's not the case here.

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At the bottom - this was a super nice spot to be able to ride to. The fire is not quite to this spot, but I'm sure it will get here. So sad.

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Re: American Fire

Postby Ken » Fri Aug 16, 2013 8:23 am

We can always take a crew Dave and a couple chainsaws.....and open that back up....I'd be up for it, I know a few others on the board would help out too....Maybe an early fall project.
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Re: American Fire

Postby Kodiak » Fri Aug 16, 2013 11:18 am

i'm in, we can use the buggy to drag them out of the way too.
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Re: American Fire

Postby silvertip » Fri Aug 16, 2013 5:26 pm

I would like to help with this project.
Here are two Pic. from my ride yesterday @ Gold Valley area
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hemingray
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Re: American Fire

Postby hemingray » Sat Aug 17, 2013 7:42 am

View from here yesterday evening:

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Re: American Fire

Postby hemingray » Sat Aug 24, 2013 1:31 pm

Hard to understand why they didn't use the lower 44 road as a first stand on the east, rather than making a last stand on the 43 road. Seems like a giveaway of a lot of timber. Generally, the way they seem to fight things is to use any decent road as a break and if it gets past, use the next as a contingency. I suppose there is some scientific reason for not using the 44 - but it's plenty wide and has been used for controlled burns in the past as a boundary.

Here's today's map. As long as they can hold the 43 road with the breezy conditions today, they'll be OK.
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Re: American Fire

Postby silvertip » Sat Aug 24, 2013 9:37 pm

Just a ???
Didn't the Star fire burn up to the 43 rd. from the East and Southeast. Thier isn't much to burn any more on the other side of Bald Mtn and the 43 Rd. IMHO!

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Re: American Fire

Postby hemingray » Sun Aug 25, 2013 8:09 am

It did, I think they did rely on the reduced fuels up there as a contingency (but they still fire-wrapped the lookout, just in case). But the Star fire was in 2001, and on the other side of things the fire slopped over pretty well into the Westville burn despite that being more recent (2008) fire before they stopped it. Plenty of brush in both places

I'm just surprised that they didn't rely on the first chance to stop things (44) versus the second chance (43). Looks like their plan was/is to set backfires during the night from the 43 road. The map shows just the interior of Deep Canyon is yet to burn with Last Chance Road and the 43 road as the perimeter.

It's going to be interesting to see what Last Chance Road looks like since it was prepped as a break!

Today's map of the incident
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Re: American Fire

Postby hemingray » Mon Aug 26, 2013 1:55 pm

Well, it looks like it's almost all over but the shoutin'. By the time the remaining open fire perimeter burns across Deep Canyon (not that deep) to the backfire lines on the 43 and 96 roads, that will about tie a bow on the entire Robinson to Last Chance area.

I'm sure there are areas not moonscaped, but I expect it will be a mess all over. What a shame. I hope they achieved their "objectives". The "not burned in 100 years" area was kinda nice to ride, now it will look like the rest!
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Re: American Fire

Postby Ken » Thu Aug 29, 2013 12:38 am

Yup.


I'm sure most are off to the Rim fire now. Let's hit those roads in October!
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Re: American Fire

Postby silvertip » Sat Sep 07, 2013 6:10 am

Did a ride out to Big Valley Bluff yesterday. Still lots of smoke off to the East, but not bad on our ride. We went over into Little Grainte Cr. to BS with the logger over there and NO smoke there.
American Fire from Big Valley Bluff Lookout site
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Bald Mtn with Duncan Pk lookout in back ground
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Re: American Fire

Postby EigerMike » Sat Sep 07, 2013 12:06 pm

wow! its a shame . did they say what started this fire?
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hemingray
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Re: American Fire

Postby hemingray » Sat Sep 07, 2013 7:18 pm

They have alluded that two men were involved, whose pickup was burned over. Officials also said that people should be careful to understand the difference between arson and stupidity.

So, I take it that there was stupidity involved.

The Rim Fire cause was announced too - a hunter and an illegal campfire. They took great pains to say that it was not anything related to marijuana growing. That dude is in a heap of hurt though - there is precedence for holding the person who caused it responsible for the cost.... Accidents are one thing, but....
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Re: American Fire

Postby oldtrucks » Mon Sep 09, 2013 6:28 pm

I was up above Washington today and the American Fire, despite 100% containment, was putting up a pretty good column.

Hemingray recall how slow they were on the Government Fire across the canyon, it's just the way the Forest Circus does things.

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Re: American Fire

Postby hemingray » Mon Sep 09, 2013 6:54 pm

Yeah - they call it "resource objectives". No matter the continued health alerts - blame that on the Rim Fire while you achieve your resource objectives.

Looks like it's burning plenty below Duncan Peak in Cliff Canyon. Sigh.

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Wherever I go, there I am

Paynes Creek 2016!

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