Our county is back in the wildfire business!!

[Kathie in Thorp]

We've been pretty lucky this year, with a corner getting nicked by a fire a few weeks ago. Have another one going, now -- I can see the smoke plumes from our place, but they are south of us, across the freeway, and across a lot of ground. We're safe here. DAVE, this is up in the Manastash. Not sure what's going on w/ grazing up there; I don't think there are many structures. But it's major elk habitat.

 

[Alan]

Which one are you talking about? The big one near The Dalles, OR?

 

[Alan]

Sorry Kathie, I just read you post a lot slower. The Dalles fire is a bad one. With luck they get the Manastash fire under control before the lighting storms hit in a day or two.

:tiphat:

Alan

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Sorry Kathie, I just read you post a lot slower. The Dalles fire is a bad one. With luck they get the Manastash fire under control before the lighting storms hit in a day or two.

:tiphat:

Alan

Right, Alan -- we're not near The Dalles. What's happening w/ that one? I hope Manashtash is fixed by the time of new storms, too. Then we wait and see what happens w/ them.

 

[Alan]

Sorry Kathie, I just read you post a lot slower. The Dalles fire is a bad one. With luck they get the Manastash fire under control before the lighting storms hit in a day or two.

:tiphat:

Alan

Right, Alan -- we're not near The Dalles. What's happening w/ that one? I hope Manashtash is fixed by the time of new storms, too. Then we wait and see what happens w/ them.

:? :? The news is all over the Fire near The Dalles, Oregon. It's a total of three fires, all started by lightening, the biggest is over 6400 acres. It has claimed two houses and is very close to the town of The Dalles. It's currently threatening the towns water supply and many more homes. Again it is all over the news.

The Manashtash fire is a little over 100 acres and should be contained soon. Which fire should I be concerned with and think your talking about? The one all over the news or the one I had to google about to find one of many 100 acre fires around the Northwest?

http://photos.oregonlive.com/photo-essa ... he_bl.html

http://m.dailyrecordnews.com/news/fire- ... l?mode=jqm

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

We are FAR from The Dalles. Manastash is closest to us, Alan, but we're good on that one, as far as distance and likelihood. There were huge plumes from that this afternoon and into early evening, but in the dark by moonlight, it looks quieter. Your update from the Daily Record was from this morning. I don't see red over there, now, at almost 10:00 PM, but we're in a pocket. Wind and temps will make the difference. The whole darn NW is on fire, on this side of the mountains. Idaho is getting hit really hard.
http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/

At 10:15 PM, can see a red glow over Manastash. Wind is from the NW at maybe 15 mph.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

And we are praying for the folks in The Dalles area, and the firefighters working there.

 

[Alan]

Thanks Kathie :tiphat: , I know you aware that I know how far it is from The Dalles, OR to Thorpe, WA. I spent my last 55 years in the pacific Northwest. I traveled through Yakima, Ellensburg and stopped at the fruit stand in Thorpe a few times a year to see my Son, DIL and grandkids in Spokane. I also been through The Dalles a couple of hundred times. I'm Just trying to figure out what the heck your talking about, I apologized about things in my second post, about not reading your post correctly. I saw it is the 100 acre Manastsh Ridge fire and not one of the three fires going on which is very close to the largest city in the Columbia River Gorge, The Dalles, Or. Close to 100,000 acres big.

Things in the Northwest are a tender box with lightening storms coming the next few days, good luck with your fire.

 

[Dave]

Since the Game Department bought the old High Valley ranch which is the majority of the Manastash there hasn't been any grazing up there. Actually a good fire up there would do some good. Sort of urban renewal. Of course the trouble with that is keeping it there.

Somehow I think that grazing, logging, and generally allowing people to manage the land is a better alternative to these huge summer fires. But what do I know. Good luck over there in the dry country. I hope you get some good rains soon.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Depending on the source (fire people at a local store this morning are probably a good source), Manastash fire is 1,000-1,600 acres now. As Dave said, not much out there for human or livestock habitation, but it's huge for wildlife. We don't see flames from here; depending on the wind, we feel the smoke.