FIRE! Close -- too close.

[Limomike]

Kathy,
Hope you and yours are all safe ! Fire is about the worst thing that can happen. We here in Oklahoma have been dealing with it all summer it seems. People are sick of it, and many have lost their homes and livestock . Not a pretty site, but I hope you all escape with not too much damage, but most of all your life.

 

[Dave]

like you said, lots of dry fuel, lots of wind, it's already jumped the Yakima river.

Kathie, stay alert and stay safe.

Alan

It was north of the Yakima and headed East. If it jumped the Yakima at least part of the fire is going in Kathie's general direction. There is enough irrigation to hold the fire out of Ellensberg and most of the farmed portions of the valley but the areas outside the irrigation will be in big trouble. And those ridges surrounding the valley are rough enough to make fire fighting right next to impossible especially in this weather.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Dave & Allen - Have not heard about death of vol. FF here; that may have been the Idaho fire. Scanner is on, and I would've heard if there was a coroner call. Will try to keep you updated during the day.

 

[backhoeboogie]

You take care. Cut fences if you have to. Protect eveything you can. I lost everything but the house in '90. Even the fence posts. That is something no one should ever go through.

 

[kenny thomas]

Kathie, 5- 20 person crews flew out of Knoxville TN this morning and ours is one of them although I an not with them. They are heading to Boise,ID and then dispatched to a fire from there. Hope things calm down.
Was also told this morning that we might send engines and crews to Oklahoma or Arkansas. If so I will probably be leading these crews.

I agree wih backhoeboogie, get prepared for the worse.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Recent(1/2 hr. ago) local news release: http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/free...cle_db329eea-e630-11e1-9537-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Kathie, 5- 20 person crews flew out of Knoxville TN this morning and ours is one of them although I an not with them. They are heading to Boise,ID and then dispatched to a fire from there. Hope things calm down.
Was also told this morning that we might send engines and crews to Oklahoma or Arkansas. If so I will probably be leading these crews.

I agree wih backhoeboogie, get prepared for the worse.

Thanks, Kenny. Stay safe. I am "married" to the scanner today.

 

[Dave]

I am glad to hear that Brian was wrong about the death. Knowing that country and the weather , that is a very dangerous fire to fight.

 

[dun]

Kathie, 5- 20 person crews flew out of Knoxville TN this morning and ours is one of them although I an not with them. They are heading to Boise,ID and then dispatched to a fire from there. Hope things calm down.
Was also told this morning that we might send engines and crews to Oklahoma or Arkansas. If so I will probably be leading these crews.

I agree wih backhoeboogie, get prepared for the worse.

Thanks, Kenny. Stay safe. I am "married" to the scanner today.

Post the pictures that you sent me this morning

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Kathie, 5- 20 person crews flew out of Knoxville TN this morning and ours is one of them although I an not with them. They are heading to Boise,ID and then dispatched to a fire from there. Hope things calm down.
Was also told this morning that we might send engines and crews to Oklahoma or Arkansas. If so I will probably be leading these crews.

I agree wih backhoeboogie, get prepared for the worse.

Thanks, Kenny. Stay safe. I am "married" to the scanner today.

Post the pictures that you sent me this morning

Still stupid about that, and today isn't the day to figure it out. Following link will take you to pics taken by news teams. http://www.kittitascountyfirerescue.com/news.htm

 

[dun]

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

First photo taken last night about 6:00 p.m. from our place. Fire continued on up that ridge and just kept travelling. Other 2 shots from adjacent neighbors' at approx. same time. Thx. Dun.

 

[cow pollinater]

I'll pray for your safety tonight as well as those around you.
I think its telling that your truck and trailer have been offered even though you're not out of the woods yet yourself. ;-)

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

We were bullshituosly evacuated this afternoon. The people on the evac call line got no instruction from fire control people that we needed to move. Me and the cat left, and waited in Thorp for several hours before we got correct info (and cat complained and yowled the whole while). Jed & Larry stayed, running the big gun sprinklers, loaded a spray tank on the tractor, etc. 2 hours later, me and cat went home after talking to fire personnel. Did have friends come out and help move vehicles out to bright green area at a neighbor's. And am now back home, waiting to hear from "real people" before we move again. Fire still moving, but has quite a ways to go to be dangerous to us a second time.

 

[Alan]

That's just too close Kathie, again stay alert and stay safe. You have our prayers!

Alan

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

In pics w/ wheel lines, the dry brown grass is now black ash -- for a 12-mile run.

 

[Jogeephus]

Glad you are OK.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

8/14/12 9:30 PM update: Would be much more comfortable here if we could turn on window air conditioner! Air is too yucky. Am putting together the plan to move the cattle to safe ground, if needed, tomorrow. We should be alright here tonight. Working on 3 hrs. sleep last night, and will stay up with the scanner again tonight. Prayers are appreciated for all here in the area. Rough couple of days. I have not heard recent numbers on the size of the fire (25,000 acres last night), but know more structures were lost today. Two major fires actually going in the area. One north and above us, with the wind running in the fire's favor toward us, down river through a canyon; the other east of us that shouldn't pose a threat, as I think it would hit ground burned last night. Talk to you tomorrow.

12:12 AM: Just heard on the scanner (nearby). "This will be a small one on Hwy 10. 1' X 1' - right next to the station. Units 111 and 112 may return to their station." Sheeeez.

 

[backhoeboogie]

You ought to disc up a fire break. You may save a whole lot of things.

 

[Dave]

The news this morning is calling the fire 28,000 acres with 70 some homes burned. It is only 10% contained. The forecast is for the wind to shift from blowing out of the west to the northeast. That is good and bad. Part of the fire will be blown back on to its self so it wont run like it was. The bad part is Kathie is on the south side of the fire. For the most part there is the Yakima River between her and the fire. And there is a lot of irrigated ground on the south side of the river. You can bet that the leading edge of that irrigated ground is getting the water poured to it right now.

It is still a big scary monster. And the weather forcast is for record hot temperatures on Thurday and Friday so they sure aren't out of danger yet.