Posted on 07/27/2002 8:02:44 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
Flames force evacuations in The Dalles
By ANDREW KRAMER The Associated Press 7/27/02 3:27 AM
THE DALLES, Ore. (AP) -- A contingent of 125 Oregon National Guard troops headed for the Columbia River Gorge Saturday to help fight a 6,000-acre wildfire threatening 270 homes.
The Sheldon Ridge fire spewed smoke over The Dalles and burned to within a few feet of some homes perched on the hillsides, some with dramatic views of the river and Mount Hood.
Firefighters parked their red and yellow engines in driveways with lights flashing and prepared to fight house to house if the fire picked up. Gusty winds whistling through the gorge remained a key concern.
In one instance firemen pried wood siding from a threatened home to protect it from the advancing flames.
A few outbuildings were destroyed Friday but no homes were lost. City workers in The Dalles abandoned the water treatment plant, taking with them chlorine and other potentially dangerous materials.
Anita Carothes, 38, a resident whose house was about a mile from the fire Friday afternoon, said the blaze frightened her. The south edge of the fire lay in clear view from her backyard. Jets of red flame from crowning trees and bursts of gray and brown smoke rose from a hillside.
"I was scared. I was crying," she said. "My husband assured me it would be OK."
Carothes walked to the edge of her lawn and watched a huge, dual-rotor helicopter chug through swirling smoke and dump a bucket of water.
Gov. John Kitzhaber met with fire commanders and toured the fire in a military helicopter Friday. The Sheldon Ridge fire was considered the most dangerous of 16 major fires burning in the state, he said.
"This is a very, very serious situation for the state in terms of risk for property and life," Kitzhaber said of the fires.
"I think we're OK from the manpower standpoint, but our biggest deficit now is air power," Kitzhaber said.
About 125 Oregon national Guard troops were to join firefighters at the Sheldon Ridge fire Saturday
The Sheldon Ridge fire got away from four crews that had it 95 percent contained Thursday morning. It grew from 150 acres to more than 5,000 acres in a few hours. That was partly because aerial tankers were redirected to the 5,000-acre White River Fire burning near Maupin in Wasco County. That fire had threatened several homes, said incident commander Tim Keith.
"It was the right thing to do" at the time, he said, speaking about redirecting tankers.
The now-larger Sheldon Ridge fire damaged one home Friday, and warnings and advisories for evacuation remained in effect for 270 homes. About 800 firefighters are working on the fire. City firefighter from Portland, Salem and Polk County had been called in to help.
Flames crept over rolling hills and made runs up steep, wooded hillsides Friday. Sometimes, the flames burned past buildings, leaving pockets of grass and trees intact around a home in an otherwise charred landscape.
As flames burned through a stand of pine toward one house firefighters parked a yellow engine in the driveway and prepared their hoses.
Then a helicopter flew over for a look but didn't dump its bucket of water.
Finally, the crew used a bulldozer to cut a fire break between the house and the flames.
A trailer drove up, the dozer rattled off and then headed straight up a steep, wooded hillside in a cloud of dust, making loud clanging noises.
"That should do it," said State Fire Marshal spokesman Jaime Karn.
Meanwhile the Skunk Fire in Klamath County grew to 1,700 acres about 17 miles southeast of Chiloquin, where it threatened two unincoporated subdivisions.
A total of 16 major fires, all started by lightning, were burning across 233,000 acres in Oregon, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. More than 10,000 firefighters battled the blazes.
Also of major concern were the 1,120 acre North Umpqua Complex in southwestern Oregon and the 15,880 Biscuit-Florence Fire southwest of Cave Junction.
The 20,000 White River fire threatened the Deschutes River canyon south of Maupin. The river from the city park to Shearar's Falls seven miles downstream was closed to whitewater rafters. The fire was about a mile from Maupin on Friday.
The 20,000 White River fire threatened the Deschutes River canyon south of Maupin. The river from the city park to Shearar's Falls seven miles downstream was closed to whitewater rafters. The fire was about a mile from Maupin on Friday.
Along the south side of the River (changes directions like a drunk driving) in the Maupin Area to Warm Springs, the brush growth along the river is horrible. It would be like touching a match to a fuse.
Hope you enjoyed your fishing trip.
EBUCK did a fine job standing in for you.;o)
Grampa Dave was warning about this pending disaster when this was a small fire.
Also of major concern were the 1,120 acre North Umpqua Complex in southwestern Oregon and the 15,880 Biscuit-Florence Fire southwest of Cave Junction.
All the usual suspects...
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