WILD FIRE

[oosik]

We are in the final mop-up stages of a 15K acre wildfire here in Eastern Washington. My property turned out to be right in the middle of the level 3 evacuation.

It was a truly frightening situation. You are waken up in the middle of the night by a heavy knocking at the door and a man yelling - "State Police - get up". He told me we were in a level 3 mandatory evacuation situation and I had five minuets to gather what I needed and leave.
I got my pant, billfold, Jeep keys and dog and walked out to a smoky situation so dense I could not see the Jeep or tractor parked only 50 feet away in the carport. He waited and followed me out my driveway to ensure there was no hesitation. Its VERY hard to walk away from what you have spent over 30 years building.

This wildfire was called the Watermelon Hill Wildfire. The firefighters could do nothing - the fire was moving at 20-30 mph and they had absolutely no off road equipment. All the equipment had been previously committed to other fires in Ea WA. All the big wheat and cattle farmers got their tractors geared up and did a FANTASTIC job disking fire breaks on ridges, across fields and around homes. Due to their tireless efforts not a single home nor any outbuilding were lost in my area. The fire came within a half mile of the south side of my property.

I'm not a person often taken to random outburst of emotion but without the assist from all these farmers a lot of us today would be looking at a pile of ash and cinders and wondering how really good our homeowners insurance would be.

I thought of helping with my tractor but I was told I would just be in the way. The big boys were cutting fire breaks 40-50 feet wide with each pass.

It was a situation that I will never forget, hopefully will never have to experience again and would hope nobody else ever has to experience.

AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE FARMERS WHO RISKED LIFE, LIMB AND EQUIPMENT TO STOP THIS WILDFIRE.

 

[Firemanbuck]

Oosik,

Glad you're safe. It was really windy all day on this side of the mountains, I figured something would blow up on your side.

Buck

 

[oosik]

Buck,

Thanks. I see in the local news the fire was started by three guys firing off an explosive - tanerite.

 

[oosik]

I checked on this stuff - Tannerite. Its explosive material used to make exploding targets. Exploding targets to be shot with high powered rifles. If used correctly its not supposed to start fires. Oops!!

 

[hawkeye08]

sometimes common sense does not prevail... exploding targets in dry grass will start fires... just not the right time of year to be messing around. I've curtailed my target practice until things get wet again... to much risk of a spark causing a fire..

 

[B7510HSD]

Glad your safe and didn't lose anything! My buddy called he lost everything burned to the ground he is just outside Brewster!! Shame it is!!

 

[Pete Judd]

Watching the news from the other side of the hill from here. Even hearing the stories on international radio.

 

[EddieWalker]

Glad you made it out alright and you didn't lose your home. Fire is one of the scariest things I can think of.

Eddie

 

[oosik]

Well - I know this event scared the wadding out of me. Finally, last night, it was clear enough to open the windows and cool off the house. I live in an area that can alway get grass fires etc but I always though if we ever got a big one it would be from a lightning strike. So glad everybody around here didn't get hurt and no homes or outbuildings lost either. A lot of baled hay burned but that's easy to replace.

I guess what scared me the most - knowing that there was not a single thing I could do except evacuate and pray. When I saw the true size of the fire it made me realize that my irrigation system and the sprinklers I have would not have made an iota of difference.

 

[roadhunter]

Buck,

Thanks. I see in the local news the fire was started by three guys firing off an explosive - tanerite.

We had a similar deal here a couple of years ago. I even contacted Tanerite and got the usual attorney response explaining how their product can't cause fires. Here is the e-mail. KevinS@ustacticalsupply.com

 

[oosik]

Its really sad - a lot of folks over in Brewster, Pateros, Malott, the Loup/Loup are losing everything to those really large wildfires.

 

[mjarrels]

Heard the governor state its due to climate change?

mark

 

[oosik]

Well, nobody want to disagree with a governor whether he is mine or yours but........ I know that the exceeding hot, unseasonal weather we have had for the last three weeks and the wind isn't helping. Our soil moisture level is so low as to be near nonexistent.

 

[turnkey4099]

The Carlton Complex fire, and it is only one of several, is the biggest fire in Washington history. Some 350 odd square miles as of this morning. Sounds like they have that one contained in one small stretch. When it blew up, it was expanding at a rate of several square miles in a few hours. Burned 150+ homes so far.

Beginning of harvest over here on the dry side but I was happy to see a good soaking rain going when I got up at 7am. And the wind was gone!!!.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

The Carlton Complex fire, and it is only one of several, is the biggest fire in Washington history. Some 350 odd square miles as of this morning. Sounds like they have that one contained in one small stretch. When it blew up, it was expanding at a rate of several square miles in a few hours. Burned 150+ homes so far.

Beginning of harvest over here on the dry side but I was happy to see a good soaking rain going when I got up at 7am. And the wind was gone!!!.

Harry K

 

[texasjohn]

Glad you are OK. Agreed, a fire is scary and generally unstoppable given the wind it itself generates and how the cinders rise up and fall down wind starting new fires. I witnesses a local fire some years ago...local rancher tried to stop it using the single ranch dozer.....he lost his life doing so. Glad the local BIG TRACTOR boys were able to get fire breaks done in time!

I can't imagine the emotions of having to evacuate under the circumstances. Being a refugee is hugely emotional whether it be in the USA, Latin America, Africa, or the middle east.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I feel your pain. I live in a heavily wooded are....trees surround all the homes on my street and there are dozens of square miles of nothing but woods behind us.

A few years ago, a farmer 1/2 mile down the road from us lost control of a brush fire he was tending and it took off for the woods running down behind our house. There are 2 houses between him and me, my bother's and another.

It took tanker trucks from 4 neighboring towns, and all the neighbors out beating down the flames to save our houses.

We had no hydrants on the street and only one cranberry bog reservoir nearby but it was too far of a hose run for the pumpers, so the tankers had to hook their tanks to the pumpers and then go back to refill at the reservoir. It was a tough fight without a good efficient water supply.

My wife stayed at home with a garden hose while my brother and I went and beat out what we could. A couple of out buildings at the neighbors house went away, but thankfully nothing of any great importance went. The fire departments and the neighbors worked tirelessly and with good results. We could have lost everything. The flames were only a couple hundred yards from my house when they were finally doused.

Several hundred acres of woods went away.

There were 3 other forest fires in town at the same time as 'ours'.

I know your frustration. I was scared crapless, but I was able to help out and keep my mind occupied. I knew the FD was ahead of me working at the front of the fire while we were 'mopping up' at the rear, and felt some confidence.

I'm really glad things turned out well for you. You'll probably be like me and remember this and worry every time you have even a few days without rain from now on.

 

[oosik]

Thank you all for the kind words and support. It rained lightly this morning for three hours. The temps dropped to 60 degrees and for the first time in three day when I went to talk to the firefighters - they were smiling. Things are returning to normal around here but I doubt anybody will forget this situation. A neighbor down the road, who was considering the purchase of a tractor, pulled the trigger and I see a brand new Ford - like a 1700 - in his yard with FEL and backhoe. I know a lot of us, me included, are going to be cutting back on our brush & grass around our houses and out buildings. Our area is PRIME for wildfire situations when all the grass and brush dries in the summer and early fall. This is the first time in the 32 years, that I've been here, that we have experienced a fire. It truly was a very frightening situation. I've never before seen a fire front a mile wide with flames reaching 50 feet high and traveling at 20-25 mph.

 

[CalG]

Fires faned by Santa Anna's kicked us out of California many years ago. Three years after we left, our area burned, every house, including the one we left.
Now our son is a forester working out of Entiat Wa. He is safe, but we worry.

What a life!