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Lightning Ignites New Fires in Central Oregon
KGW TV ^ | 24 July | AP & KGW Staff

Posted on 07/24/2002 7:33:40 AM PDT by Grampa Dave

Lightning Ignites New Fires in Central Oregon 07/24/2002

By AP and KGW Staff

Nearly 1,000 lightning strikes hit central Oregon yesterday afternoon and last night igniting several new fires across the state.

Firefighters are now chasing the new wildfires, including one that has prompted the voluntary evacuation of campgrounds on Suttle and Blue lakes northwest of Sisters.

Heavy lift helicopters are set to begin attacking the Cache Mountain fire this morning, said David Widmark, spokesman for the Northwest Interagency Coodination Center in Portland.

Smoke billows skyward and spreads east near Summer Lake, Ore., Tuesday. (AP Photo)

The Cache Mountain fire has now burned about 105 acres in the Deschutes National Forest about 15 miles from Sisters.

"This lightning storm really hit central Oregon," said Kelly Jerzykowski, manager at the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center. "We continue to hit these fires aggressively, but resources are tired and spread thin at this point."

The Cache Mountain fire caused campers at the Methodist camps on Suttle Lake and campgrounds and a private resort on Blue Lake to voluntarily leave the area. It isn't immediately known how many campers are affected.

Widmark said the lightning storms moved through the Cascades and up the Columbia River Gorge all the way to the Blue Mountains. They had lightning but very little moisture.

Lightning also started an 80-acre fire south of the Black Canyon Wilderness, near the much larger 747 Fire.

“We’re just trying to pace ourselves,” said Widmark. “We still have about another six to eight weeks of the fire season left."

Winter - Toolbox Fire

Members of the Oregon National Guard's 116th Cavalry, from Pendleton, Ore., mop up scorched land near Summer Lake. (AP Photo) In south central Oregon, a total of 289 members of the 3-116 Cavalry based in La Grande and the 82nd Cavalry based in Bend have been assigned to the Winter Fire, mopping up in burned over areas to free more experienced crews to attack parts of the 34,500-acre fire still burning hot.

Tuesday night a section of the Toolbox Fire, which joined over the weekend with the Winter Fire, blew out and got to within a mile of Oregon Highway 31 at Picture Rock Pass, Oregon Department of Forestry Chris Friend said.

Wearing protective yellow shirts and green pants, 40 members of the Oregon National Guard on Tuesday scanned the charred sagebrush flats and bent to the hot work of rooting out embers.

Armed with shovels, mattocks and pickaxes, the citizen soldiers moved in a line, spaced five yards apart, digging into gray ash and black sagebrush stumps looking for residual embers that could flare up later.

"It kind of reminds me of poking through a minefield," said Staff Sgt. Michael Wicks, 47, of Pendleton, a member of the 3-116 Cavalry based in La Grande. "Get your plastic punji sticks. Everybody on line. Sweep."

Guard Helps Battle

Oregon National Guard 116th Cavalry troops from Pendleton, Ore., mop up scorched land near Summer Lake, Ore., as a complex of three fires continues to burn in the area. (AP Photo)

Trained as tank crews, scouts, mortarmen, medics and truckdrivers in case of war, the guardsmen were called up by Gov. John Kitzhaber to battle one of the 18 wildfires burning a total of 200,000 acres across the state, stretching the nation's firefighting resources.

"That's where the need is," said Capt. Alex Simshaw, commander of the taskforce. "What we're trying to do is protect the houses if it flares back up."

Last week, a lighting strike ignited the Winter Fire at the base of Winter Ridge. The flames spread through the narrow band of flat land between the steep rock slope and the alkali flats of Summer Lake. Sixty houses were threatened, but none was lost, although some barns and shop buildings burned.

The guardsmen were sent to the north edge of Summer Lake because a crew with infrared gear had found heat in the earth, said crew chief Roland Cababag, a member of the Toledo Fire Department attached to the Oregon Department of Forestry for the summer.

Before setting the guardsmen to their task, he demonstrated the finer points of mop-up with his shovel.

"When you get in stumps like this, dig it out -- get down in these a little bit -- then get in there with your bare hand, gently," Cababag said. "You should be able to touch cold dirt with your bare hand."

While the guardsmen chopped at the earth, twin-rotored Chinook helicopters flew overhead bearing 1,000-gallon buckets of water to a flare-up on the far side of the ridge. As the line moved slowly through the black expanse, guardsmen called out warnings of helicopters flying overhead and reminders to drink water.

Back in fire camp in Paisley, 50 miles south of Summer Lake, guardsmen waiting their turn on the fire lines traded home remedies against the mosquitoes. To ward off mosquitoes, some people eat a match head a day to give off an odor of sulfur, and others swear by chili peppers, Simshaw said.

"I've always been a firm believer in bug spray," he said. "Overall, the mosquitoes are not that bad. There's only a few of the guys they seem to like."

On their way to the fire, some members of the 3-116th Cavalry stopped off at store and bought two-way miniature radios that look like cell phone, so they can keep in touch with buddies stretched out on the fire line, and backpack water bags to keep hydrated in the dry heat.

"Things to keep the comfort level up," said Wicks as he paused to look at the blackened ground sweeping up to the rocky face of Winter Ridge.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Online at: http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_0724_news_wildfires_roundup.1f701f8b.html


TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; US: Oregon
KEYWORDS: anarchists; bchristinesb; druidoregonagendas; duridhellinoregon; earthfirst; ecofascists; ecoterrorism; ecoterrorists; eugeneanarchists; forestservice; greenhellburning; greenjihadism; greenjihadists; greenkitzhaber; greensequalburn; greenterrorism; isoregonburning; kitzhaberthegreen; kitzisolearyscow; kitzplaysviolin; kitzsburninglegacy; kitzthebarnburner; nerokitzfiddles; olearykitzhaber; onrcburnbabyplan; onrcpyromaniacs; oregon; oregonburning; oregonburnsmore; oregoniannonews; orruralcleansing; removehumans; romeoregonburning; satanisadruid; stoopidgreenology; stoopididiotology; treehuggers; watermelonkitzhaber; watermelonsburnyou; wherethereissmoke
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Amazing! Oregon Live, the Oregonian's internet news group has nothing on the new and old fires.

These Green Whores who control the Oregonian are apparently spiking the news. There is zero mention of any fires in today's edition.

Thank goodness that KGW is doing a good job.

1 posted on 07/24/2002 7:33:40 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: EBUCK; AuntB; dixiechick2000; blackie
Here is the latest.

Absolutely nothing re the lightening, "old" fires and new fires at the Oregon Live Site. That newspaper is the Pravda of Portland, Oregon. The green and rat voting cults in Portland have zero concept of what is going on in the real world outside of their green commy commune of Portland.
2 posted on 07/24/2002 7:49:08 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: dixiechick2000
Dixie were your family members camped at any of these sites hit by lightening or close to these sites?
3 posted on 07/24/2002 7:51:12 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Grampa Dave
You got that right. no mention whatsoever in the Oregonian. Not surprised either.
4 posted on 07/24/2002 7:52:20 AM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: Grampa Dave; Thinkin' Gal; Jeremiah Jr; babylonian
The Cache* Mountain fire has now burned...

At the same time as the stock market crashes and burns and one's cash is in question, this seems to match it.  The tool in the Toolbox seems to be a sickle of harvest.

*cache (kàsh) noun
1. a. A hiding place used especially for storing provisions. b. A place for concealment and safekeeping, as of valuables. c. The store of goods or valuables concealed in a hiding place.
2. Computer Science. A fast storage buffer in the central processing unit of a computer. In this sense, also called cache memory.

verb, transitive
cached, caching, caches
To hide or store in a cache. See synonyms at HIDE1.
[French, from cacher, to hide, from Old French, to press, hide, from Vulgar Latin *coâcticâre, to store, pack together, frequentative of Latin coâctâre, to constrain, from coâctus, past participle of cogere, to force. See COGENT.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from InfoSoft International, Inc. All rights reserved.


5 posted on 07/24/2002 7:55:15 AM PDT by 2sheep
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
Are you saying that today's print edition of the Watermelon Oregonian has nothing re the burning fires and new fires?
6 posted on 07/24/2002 7:59:37 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: All
Here is the latest National Fire Map. Apparently fires in Oregon are no longer news for the Watermelon controlled Oregonian!


7 posted on 07/24/2002 8:03:53 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: WaterDragon; madfly; brityank; farmfriend; sauropod; countrydummy; AAABEST
The latest re the Oregon Watermelon Fire disasters.

Please use your ping lists.
8 posted on 07/24/2002 8:06:38 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Grampa Dave
I will have to post the latest NOAH images in two parts. Looks like a PC move not to show all of Oregone in one image re all the fires.


9 posted on 07/24/2002 8:29:18 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: All
I can't find a NOAA image past 20 July of Southern Oregon.

All the latest images (22 July) cut off the bottom half of Oregon.
10 posted on 07/24/2002 8:39:44 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Grampa Dave; Free the USA; Libertarianize the GOP; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Stand Watch Listen; ...
ping
11 posted on 07/24/2002 8:49:39 AM PDT by madfly
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To: Grampa Dave
Oregonians need to look on the bright side. Californians won't be moving up there if the place is burned to a crisp. Looks like they are well on their way to that end.
12 posted on 07/24/2002 8:59:38 AM PDT by farmfriend
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To: madfly
Unbelievable if true there is no news in the Oregonian about these new fires. That is censorship with a vengence!
13 posted on 07/24/2002 9:11:03 AM PDT by WaterDragon
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To: farmfriend
"Oregonians need to look on the bright side. Californians won't be moving up there if the place is burned to a crisp. Looks like they are well on their way to that end."

You got it wrong. From my experience, the only Californians that would move up to Oregon are likely be conservative patriots, that would more than likely stand to the right of you.

Oregon California, and Washington, can stand all the conservative voters they can get.

In any event, here's hoping for a weather change, low winds to our brothers in Oregon. Oregon is a great, beautiful state. Central Oregon in particular is a fantastic place, and I wish everyone up there the very best of luck.

14 posted on 07/24/2002 9:25:25 AM PDT by Joe Hadenuf
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To: farmfriend; bybybill
Actually, the economy of Oregon started to crumple two years ago last Oct/Nov.. That kept Kalis from going to Oregon and started a reversal of people moving from Oregon to Kali.

In our annual fall trek to the Oregon country in Oct 2000, we ran into a lot of Kali/Oregonians returning to Kali or just moving to Kali for the jobs that Oregon didn't have.

A lot of jobs and in particuliar the heavy construction jobs companies were the first to feel the upcoming economic eco recession. This was due to the anti business, anti capitalism and watermelon behavior of the Governor and others in power in Oregon.

Then our power crisis in Kali drove up their electrical rates, and this wiped out a lot smaller companies and jobs.
The flow back into Kali started in ernest in the early part of 2001. After 9/11, their economy tanked, and the envirals agenda/desire of getting rid of a lot of people in Oregon came true.
15 posted on 07/24/2002 9:30:57 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: madfly
BTTT!!!!!
16 posted on 07/24/2002 9:37:25 AM PDT by E.G.C.
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To: All
Looks like Oregon Live has awakened and is now posting stories and articles about the wildfires in Oregon. Here is the latest report by fire:

The Associated Press

Several major wildfires were burning on about 200,000 acres in Oregon on Tuesday. About 8,660 firefighters are working in the state.


WINTER-TOOLBOX FIRES

Started: in Lake County 07/12/02 and merged Saturday.

Size: 97,392 acres

Containment: 40 percent

Evacuations: Voluntary evacuations of 65 homes.

Damage: No.

On scene: 2100 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


EYERLY FIRE

Started: 15 miles NE of Camp Sherman, 07/09/02.

Size: 24,637 acres.

Containment: 85 percent.

Evacuations: 280 homes asked to voluntarily evacuate last week.

Damage: 18 houses destroyed.

On scene: 1,029 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


MALHEUR COMPLEX

Started: 8-25 miles from Prairie City, 07/12/02.

Size: 9,783 acres.

Containment: 30 percent.

Evacuations: None; 50 residences are threatened, and 10 commercial properties, and 184 outbuildings.

Damage: None.

On scene: 893 firefighters

Cause: Lightning


TILLER COMPLEX

Started: Outside Tiller, east of Canyonville off Interstate 5, 07/12/02.

Size: 5,500 acres.

Containment: 14 percent

Evacuations: None at this damage.

Damage: No listed damage

On scene: 897 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


FLAGTAIL FIRE

Started: 13 miles west of Seneca, 07/15/02

Size: 8,100 acres.

Containment: 85 percent

Evacuations: None

Damage: Part of Bear Valley Work Center destroyed, one home destroyed, one outbuilding destroyed.

On scene: 623 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.



NORTH UMPQUA COMPLEX

Started: 25 miles east of Glide, 07/12/02.

Size: 883 acres.

Containment:25 percent.

Evacuations: 20 residences threatened

Damage: one commercial property and ten outbuildings.

On Scene: 414 firefighters

Cause: Lightning.


MONUMENT FIRE

Started: 9 miles southwest of Unity, 07/12/02

Size: 24,700 acres

Containment: 40 percent.

Evacuations: 75 residences threatened, plus five commercial buildings and ten outbuildings.

Damage: Unknown.

On Scene: 811 firefighters, military battalion from Topeka, Kansas in place.

Cause: Lightning.


GRIZZLY FIRE

Started: 15 miles west of Lakeview.

Size: 6,050 acres.

Containment: 95 percent.

Evacuations: RV Park threatened. Cottonwood Meadows Lake campground and group camp area is closed.

Damage: Unknown.

On scene: 316 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.


747 FIRE

Started: Northeast of Paulina in Black Canyon Wilderness, 07/13/22.

Size: 12,398 acres

Containment: 45 percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Road closures.

On scene: 467 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.


BISCUIT COMPLEX

Started: 17 miles southwest of Cave Junction, 07/13/02. requesting a Type One team

Size: 7,040 acres

Containment: zero percent.

Evacuations: None.

Damage: Unknown, but a wildnerness area is threatened.

On scene: 663 firefighters.

Cause: Lightning.



SHEEP ROCK FIRE

Started: 7/20/02, two miles northeast of Riverside, Ore.

Size: 884 acres

Containment: 90 percent

Evacuations: none

Damage: none

On Scene: 13 firefighters

Cause: lightning


LAVA FIRE:

Started: 7/13/02, 15 miles north/northwest of Christmas Valley,Ore.

Size: 400 acres

Containment: zero percent

Evacuations: Unknown, possible structures national forest land

Demage: Unknown

On scene: zero personnel

Cause: lightning




----

Source: The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center

17 posted on 07/24/2002 9:37:51 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Grampa Dave
That may be true to an extent, however, you know as well as I that there are probably 1000 times more envirals in Cal than Oregon. I personally know of at least 10 people that have moved to Oregon from Cal in the past 7 years or so. Only one returned to take over a family business due to a death. All of these folks that moved there were strong conservatives to the core. We hated to see them go.

What area of Oregon do you vacation in Dave?

18 posted on 07/24/2002 9:41:47 AM PDT by Joe Hadenuf
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To: Joe Hadenuf
Actually some of the most rabid envirals I have ever met and seen are native Oregonians. Next are our enviral trash that moved to Oregon in the last decade or so. They are very bad.

We have them here in Kali too.

We love the SW Oregon coast from Brookings to Bandon. We try to get there or to the upper Rogue River area every fall after labor day. I've seen a lot of beautiful coasts, including our great coasts here in California.

However, the coastline from Brookings to Port Orford, Oregon is the most incredible that I have seen.

If I go up by myself to fly fish in the summer time, I will stay in the Deschutes River Area. It is a little too isolated and barren for my wife. She likes the Sisters area if it doesn't burn up this year. I had planned a one week trip to the Deschutes area early next month and have my wife fly up on Thursday night or Friday morning to the Redmond/Sisters area. Then we would drive back together or she would have flown back. Then I could fly fish down 97, then fish to I5 and down.
19 posted on 07/24/2002 10:06:24 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: EBUCK; dixiechick2000; madfly; brityank; farmfriend; AuntB; blackie; All
Here is one of the prime problems with the envirals, senators like Da$$hole.

Da$$hole, Boxer, ChiFiFrankestein and other rat senators have endorsed no roads, no removal of dead trees and no brush removal in our forests and national parks. This has made every forest and national park a tinder box ready to explode. This tinder boxing was enabled by the Clintoon.

Here is a link to Da$$hole quietly trying to get an exemption in his home state to allow logging to prevent this tinder box situation. However, he only wants it in his home state. (link)

Daschle seeks environmental exemption Washington Times | 7/24/02 | Audrey Hudson

Posted on 07/24/2002 10:29 AM Pacific by purplegirl

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle quietly slipped into a spending bill language exempting his home state of South Dakota from environmental regulations and lawsuits, in order to allow logging in an effort to prevent forest fires.

The move discovered yesterday by fellow lawmakers angered Western legislators whose states were forced to obey those same rules as they battled catastrophic wildfires.

"What's good for the Black Hills should be good for every forest in the United States," said Sen. Larry E. Craig, Idaho Republican and chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.

Mr. Daschle, a Democrat, said the language to expedite logging is essential to reduce the timber growth that can fuel wildfires.

"As we have seen in the last several weeks, the fire danger in the Black Hills is high and we need to get crews on the ground as soon as possible to reduce this risk and protect property and lives," Mr. Daschle said in a statement late Monday night after a House-Senate conference committee agreed on the language.

The language was tucked inside the defense supplemental spending bill, which passed the House last night by a 397-32 vote. The overall measure, which spends $29 billion, will be taken up by the Senate today. The provision says that "due to extraordinary circumstances," timber activities will be exempt from the National Forest Management Act and National Environmental Policy Act, is not subject to notice, comment or appeal requirements under the Appeals Reform Act, and is not subject to judicial review by any U.S. court.

More than 20 lawsuits, appeals or reviews are blocking timber projects to remove fuel from the Black Hills — some bottled up in bureaucracy since 1985, say Republican aides.

"After hearing all the hand-wringing from environmentalists downplaying the impact of appeals and litigation, it's nice to see that the highest-ranking Democrat in the nation agrees that these frivolous challenges have totally crippled forest managers," said Rep. Scott McInnis, Colorado Republican and chairman of the House Resources subcommittee on forests and forest health.

20 posted on 07/24/2002 10:08:18 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
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