BAD NEWS! FIRES! DEATHS!

“There is horrible news here in Washington State. In the area of Twisp, there is a fire out of control. They are saying it could be from a campers fire.

Four firemen have died trying to extinguish the blaze. The men were trapped in a ravine while the wind changed and the fire went in their direction.

Notice to all, put out your campfires.”

“good advise, lipstick hiker .... let's hope this tragedy ends without anymore harm.

gc”

“I heard a report on NPR. A fire official said a crew of 20 or 22 had a fairly small fire blow up on them in a narrow canyon, surrounding them. The order was given to deploy their personal fire shelters. The Forest Service is investigating to see what went wrong for the four who died. Another four or so received minor injuries and the others apparently escaped okay under their little shelters.

Yeah, a campfire is the initial suspect. Just nuts to be making campfires in an area as dry and hot as that part of the West at the moment. The fire had expanded to 2,500 acres and was being allowed to burn at this point while the FS regroups. No private property being threatened, they said.

Say a prayer for the fire crews, and renew your vows of fire safety when in the backcountry.”

“Yes, remember the firefighters. They have an extremely tough job.

Don't have campfires in the western US from June through September, except in fixed metal fire rings.”

“Lets hope that sonrisas doesn't have to fight that nasty fire.”

“The victims were 2 men and 2 women, the oldest was 30, the youngest just 18. I fought fires with a relative of one of the victims...this is just really tragic.

The Forest Service is investigating to see what went wrong? When I was fighting fire for the FS, we called our fire shelters "Bakin' Bags". They may work fine in grassland where the fuels are light and the fire passes over you quickly. But in our forests...sheesh, no way.

It was morbid, I guess, but we always joked that if we ever had to deploy our fire shelter, while we're in there we may as well kiss our ass goodbye.”

“I fought fires in the mid to late 70s right during the time they brought the shelters on board in the PNW. They were originally issued to us on a fire in Southern Cal. They then made there way up to R6. Most of us had the same opinion. If you had to crawl in one of them, that was probably going to be the last thing you do. We used to joke that at least body recovery would be easier. From what I understand though, the shelters they use today are much better, but still with temperatures around you reaching 1500 degrees, you're pretty much shakin' bake.

In a blow up like that it's not only the heat that gets you but the lack of oxygen that is being sucked up into the fire. More folks actually die of suffocation then the actual burns. I was in a big burn outside of Wennatche, hmm memory fails me, 76, 77 (?). But I do remember the events. Caught on a ridgeline, fire crowned and we were in the middle of it. By the grace of God and a lot of adreniline, we made it to the top of the ridge and hunkered down on the lee side, poured what water we had all over each other and laid down with a wet handkerchief to breath with. I vividly remember it getting very hot and having a very difficult time breathing as the fire consumed the oxygen around us. Flames topped the ridge at over 50' above the trees tops. From the time we heard the blow up to when we reached the ridge top was no more than 2 minutes. In that time the fire consumed close to 500 acres. No injuries no deaths on that one but a lot of scared sh!tless kids (I was 18).

This latest event is indeed tragic. My heart goes out to all the families.”

“The newspaper said it was from an unattended campfire.

Tragic.”

“This is heartbreaking that four young people died and all those acres burned due to basic carelessness.”

“According to this morning's NPR story, 2 of the 23 caught in the fire were hikers. In what was described as a heroic, selfless move (and I concur), a woman firefighter threw the hikers to the ground, got on top of them, pulled her "one-person" fire shelter over them and saved all their @sses. Hikers everywhere ought to chip in for a medal for that firefighter.

According to this morning's AP newspaper story, the 4 who died were in a crew of 5 who tried to make it to the Chewuch River downslope. The 21-year-old crew chief survived with 25% burns, to his hands, legs and face.

NPR said three of the 4 who died were rookies, aged 18, 19, and 21.”

“Tragic. Utterly and completely tragic.
I think I remember in the paper today that BWCA is starting to ban fires too.”

“With all the downed trees from the big storm a couple years ago for fuel (and making bushwacking very difficult for fire crews) I can see why BWCA would do so.”

“Thanks, Buddha. I don't fight fires anymore. I'm too out of shap for it. But I have a brother who is out there now.

Judging from their ages and the time of year it is likely that two of those kids were on one of their first fires. What a tragedy. You never know what can happen out there.

I lika a campfire, but only usually make one while car camping with the kids for making 'smores and what not. When I back pack I very rarely make a fire.”

“Looks like a fire ban for the rest of the summer.”

“What horrible news!!!!

Having work the volunteer crews and a few inter-agnecy crews since '94, my heart is sadden every time I hear of a fallen wildland firefighter. Aside from sex, I don't think I have ever done anything as exhilarating as chasing smokes in intial attack mode and fighting the fire head on and all the while hearing to the roar of a crown out. A sharp edge makes for easy work.”

“An editorial from yesterday's Seattle Times

Jerks in the woods

Beware when you camp in the woods this summer; a special category of flaming jerk might be parked next door.

In the midst of a nasty fire season that has charred 150,000 acres east of the Cascades, the U.S. Forest Service is having to take out newspaper ads pleading with the public not to build camp fires.

Rangers are doing more than warning about fire restrictions in the Okanogan and Wenatchee national forests. They and local sheriff's deputies have written hundreds of tickets the past four weekends.

To their astonishment and great frustration, too many campers do not care.

The Forest Service struggles for a delicate balance in the midst of tinder-dry conditions and seven major fires. Outdoor recreation is a summer highlight in the Pacific Northwest and a big part of the agency's mission. So rangers are working to keep campgrounds open during a time of high fire danger.

But they need cooperation and a tincture of civic-mindedness from the public.

Fire is the enemy. Campgrounds are posted for no campfires. Cooking must be on a gas-fueled grill or stove. No charcoal briquettes. Rangers pass the word along during the day and receive lots of nods of understanding.

They return after dark to find campfires aglow and campers belligerent about putting them out. Failure to cooperate draws a fine.

A word about fines. Double or triple them to get people's attention.

These scofflaws are playing with fire in forests belonging to us all, and they cost taxpayers dearly to defend.

Rangers report fines and tickets are often grudgingly accepted as a modest surcharge for the fun and romance of a roaring fire. Talk about missing the point.

The message is not getting through to another me-first crowd that is trashing the national forests. Rangers have dubbed this special brand of four-wheeled frenzy as "mudding."

Take a nice wet meadow, field or stream and rip through it in high-octane fashion to test a quad rig's power and the driver's ability to gouge, rut and carve the landscape.

Muddiest truck wins. The environment and taxpayers lose.

This increasingly popular activity is illegal, but folks too dense for words still call and ask for the best sites. Warned the activity carries a fine, some callers see the ticket as an entry fee affordably divisible by the number of trucks and lawn chair-toting spectators.

Off-road-vehicle groups, by the way, hate mudding. They are a big source of volunteer help to maintain and develop designated areas to enjoy their sport.

Foregoing a campfire during a hot, hazardous fire season, or resisting the urge to shred the landscape, is not asking much.”

“4-hour special about wildfire on C-SPAN, Labor Day at 9 pm eastern, if you're stuck someplace with a tv set.”

“The "Me" generation...don't you just love them.”

“Sheesh--I am slow to condem folks but that is outrageous.”

“lipstick, thanks for reminding us of the potential dangers out there. My heart goes out to the families of the victims also.

It was a shame to see all the smoke in the air in Kings Canyon this past weekend due to the fires in the surrounding areas. It did clear a little two days later though. I think they have most of it contained now. I'll pray for the same in the Washington area.”