Wildfire

[webfoot]

There is a wild fire raging in south central Washington in Klickitat county. It started on Friday and was 20,000 acres by Saturday morning. It is now reported at 52,000 acres and 0% contained. The communities of Cleveland and Bickleton are under Level 3 go now evacuation. My wife graduated from school in Bickleton. Her family ranch would be between where the fire was yesterday and the town of Bickleton. She has lots of friends and family in that area. We spent the better part of a year living just west of there between when we sold out on the coast and moved here. The rancher who I helped during that time would have his cows in the area being over run by this fire. The wife's son call yesterday afternoon. He was going to run cat pushing fire line on the flanks of the fire. He said they were calling everyone out to fight this one.

The old Dot Road school and Dot Road grange are both gone now. They were caught up in the fire on Friday afternoon. These old structures aren't very far from the family ranch as the crow flies. If you look at the picture of the old school, the ranch is to the left about a mile and half way to the tree line in the school picture.

 

[Faster horses]

Tragic. I hope and pray they get it under control soon.

 

[Nicky]

Dang

 

[Silver]

Scary stuff. Any chance of help from the weather?

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

That explains the smoke we had on Sat. and Sun. None today. The wind is blowing from the west here today. I didn't see any smoke on the Horse Heavens highway cams, so maybe they are getting some control. Hopefully they don't have our wind since they are up farther from the river.

I hate to hear about old ranch building burning even if abandon. I love those old building that have a history to tell.

Hot and dry and windy here, so fire danger is as bad as it gets.

 

[webfoot]

That explains the smoke we had on Sat. and Sun. None today. The wind is blowing from the west here today. I didn't see any smoke on the Horse Heavens highway cams, so maybe they are getting some control. Hopefully they don't have our wind since they are up farther from the river.

I hate to hear about old ranch building burning even if abandon. I love those old building that have a history to tell.

Hot and dry and windy here, so fire danger is as bad as it gets.

It is still 0% contained and they are saying 40 mph winds this afternoon. It was fairly close to Roosevelt. But the maps look like it stopped at the Roosevelt Grade Road. If it jumps the East Road there is not a lot to stop it for a long ways. Edna's brother is helping a rancher move cows. Story we here is that man lost an empty hay shed but that was the only structure he lost.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

The west wind is really picking up and the smoke is rolling in. Not dangerous yet, but unpleasant and burning to the eyes and nose.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

We had a fire just south of the border Saturday night, we couldn't figure out how to get there as it was in a real rough area. It flared up Sunday about 11am. and we found our way down across the creek and jumped the border. Got it contained about 2:30 so came home and thought the land owners and local fire crews would keep an eye on it. Well we got called back about 6 pm and it had doubled in size from when we left earlier. It was a tough battle in pastures that had a couple years growth. We got it mopped up about 11 pm. and headed home. They left more people there for the night, I called my friend that owns a farm right close and got him to come down from Regina and watch it for the night, It was less then a mile from his place and was glad I called him to come down.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

All clear here this morning with the sun shining and birds chirping. A light breeze but very pleasant.