It keeps burning

[Jogeephus]

Noticed another plume of smoke today. Figured the Roundabout Swamp fire had gotten out again - and it had. This is not the one you saw on CNN but just one of the smaller ones in our area now. Sorry the pictures aren't any good - real camera was at house. For those in the know, the little dot thing is a CH-47 helicopter which is a pretty big sumbee. We sure need the rain. For a better perspective, I'm about 5 miles from the fire. It was heading east at about 3-5 miles per hour and it was eating some lunch. My hats off to the men with the Georgia Forestry Commission, to put it mildly, it takes a good set to dance with something the size of this.

First photos show a narrow woodline on horizon, these are planted pines and are roughly 70-80 feet tall. Chinook is filling up bucket in a pond roughly 5 miles from head.

 

[Beefy]

Mr. Jo, looks like there is a 60% chance of rain this saturday if you can hold out til then. *fingers crossed*

 

[Jogeephus]

Rain. That's the only thing that will stop these fires. Got some friends in Waycross right now. One said the smoke was so thick in the understory that the flames were igniting 30 feet above the tree tops and the trees were 50 feet tall. I mean, you can't fight a fire like that. All you can do is hope for a wind change so you can attack the head or get some rain. I've seen some bad fires, but can't say I've ever seen any this bad.

Another bad thing is most of the equipment is fighting the big ones, leaving our county with just one dozer. Everybody's spread way too thin.

 

[Just Curious]

I'm sorry, my mind was in the gutter again... When I saw the the thread title, I thought that we were back to Dave picking up Penny... :oops:
I constantly think of our troops over in Iraq and Afganistan... But this was a great wake-up call to the homefront heroes we have right here in our mist...
God bless our fire fighters! :clap:

 

[chrisy]

That looks bad, hope you get rain soon....and the wind doesn't change it into your direction.....stay safe, Take care....Chris.

 

[Jogeephus]

It took off again last night when the wind got up. Best guess, the fire has burned 3000 acres. Sounds like arson again. Have an idea of who did it. Maybe they can get em.

About 3 miles away

About a mile away

Trying to save a house

Got a bit close here. Look close for plane. Got some retardent on me here. (East flank)

Don't know who this is but he is good.

Firefighters are about to attack the head of the fire.

The attack on the head of the fire worked. They stopped it at the road where the last picture was taken. It jumped it two or three times but it is out. Efforts are now directed at the flanks trying to hem it up. Unfortunately, the wind is supposed to change Mon or Tues and the fire will probably get some houses. Can't really fight a fire that's 30-50 feet off the ground. I think rain is the only hope and its not looking good.

 

[Beefy]

wow. good photos though.

 

[chrisy]

shame you are not getting the much needed rain. But those photo's are better than some of the ones on the NEWS, hope it still stays away from your place. Take Care, be safe....Chris.

 

[Lammie]

Man, those are some pics. It is a shame to see that pretty land go up in flames. I have always wondered what kind of person it takes to deliberately set a fire. I can see campfires getting out of hand, or maybe even a carelessly tossed butt, but to know what you are doing... I just don't know.

 

[dieselbeef]

damn jo. hopin they stay away from yer place!
i had brush fire 2 yrs ago right up to my barn full o hay from a burn pile when the wind changed. only burnt 80 acres or so but it burned right up to my driveway. thank got the nieghbors got there before i got home from work and was hosin it. scary stuff dude. the guy whos fire it was went to jail cuz he couldnt pay the fines or reimburse the fire dept expenses

 

[john250]

Great pictures. My sympathy with the situation down there. I hope you get rain down there ASAP.

 

[Alice]

Those are awesome pictures...of such tragic circumstances. Fire frightens me more than most anything. I'm praying for rain for you guys.

Alice

 

[sidney411]

Neat pics - thanks for posting.

 

[Beefy]

it looks like some of those Texans could share a little bit of rain, doesnt it?

 

[Jogeephus]

it looks like some of those Texans could share a little bit of rain, doesnt it?

An inch would do wonders. Ever heard of someone feeding hay May? Looks like I'll be dong it tomorrow. :(

 

[Beefy]

i heard a rainfrog singing right before dark. he had obviously fallen in the dog's waterbowl. no clouds in sight.

 

[dieselbeef]

i just bought 4 more rolls last night. crappy hay too. maybe itll last til the grass seeds anyways.

 

[chrisy]

Beefy how far are you from the fires? as I see you are in Georgia also. Hope not to near....Take care...Chris.

 

[dieselbeef]

sawe it in the paper this mornin...125 sq mi burnt...wow...not under control or near diminishing... at this point hopin for rain

 

[Beefy]

Beefy how far are you from the fires? as I see you are in Georgia also. Hope not to near....Take care...Chris.

i'm in southwest georgia, well out of harms way.