Florence Fire Could Become Largest in State History

www.kgw.com ^ | 08/09/2002 | JEFF BARNARD, Associated Press Writer

[B4Ranch]

U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth said thinning national forests and restoring the natural role of fire in the ecosystem should be made a top priority after he toured the largest active wildfire in the nation.

The Florence Fire was threatening to become the largest wildfire in state history after expanding to 308,000 acres on the Siskiyou National Forest and adjoining lands in southwestern Oregon and Northern California.

The largest wildfire in Oregon was the Tillamook Fire in 1933 which burned 311,000 acres in the northwest corner of the state.

The threat to the 17,000 people of the Illinois Valley has eased, but the fire continues to threaten the community of Agness in the Rogue River Canyon and the Wilderness Retreat subdivision east of Brookings.

Haze fills the sky near the hamlet of Agness in southern Oregon. (KGW Photo)

But winds were increasing Friday, along with the risk the fire could intensify and race down a narrow river canyontoward the coast, said Carol Tucco of the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, which oversees fire management.

To date, $27.2 million has been spent fighting the Florence Fire, though it is only 15 percent contained. More than 5,000 people have been assembled from around the country to fight it.

Bosworth toured southern Oregon on Thursday to see how the money is being spent.

"We're really interested in finding out how things are working out on these fires, how well crews are working," Bosworth said.

Firefighters and homeowners place sprinklers on top of houses. (KGW Photo)

Brian Waidmann, chief of staff to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, said he was impressed by the cooperation between federal, state and local agencies.

The $325 million budget for fighting fires this year has been spent, and the bill could run up to $1 billion, Bosworth said. Money allocated for preventing future fires has been moved to firefighting, and he hoped Congress would restore the diverted funding.

But a wildfire season that is turning into one of the worst in the nation's history is making it clear that changes in fire management policy are needed, Bosworth said.

A sprinkler works furiously to douse a roof and house with water. (KGW Photo)

"The most important thing we can do in a good part of the West is doing some thinning and reintroduce fire back into these fire-dependent ecosystems in a controlled manner," Bosworth said.

The National Fire Information Center reports 5 million acres have burned in the country this year, including more than 715,000 acres in Oregon.

In Oregon, fire commanders hoped to keep the Florence Fire away from Agness on its north flank, but the blaze still has the potential to break out toward the coastal town of Brookings.

A hazy, Southern Oregon sunset. (KGW Photo)

"It kind of looks like a war zone up here," said Serene Ireland, owner of the Agness RV Park about 25 miles east of Gold Beach. "We've got military trucks, Red Cross vans, all kinds of earth mover equipment, big fire trucks. It's not quiet little Agness right now."

The Florence and Sour Biscuit fires were brought together west of O'Brien by burnout operations that have consolidated and strengthened containment lines.

"That means we have a pretty solid containment line from north of Selma to the California border," said fire spokesman Mike Ferris.

Weather forecasts called for a warming and drying trend into the weekend, with winds of up to 40 mph.

The Hemlock Fire is burning 15 more acres, growing the blaze to 75 acres. Fire officials say that despite numerous fire retardant and water water drops from helicopters, the fire grew, particularly on its west flank.

The area is steep and rugged terrain for firefighters. An emergency closure is in effect for the area including forest roads 5821, 5828 and the Alpine Ridge Trail.

Other fires burning in Oregon included:

-- Tiller Complex, 33,624 acres, Umpqua National Forest near Tiller, 25 percent contained.

-- Timbered Rock Fire, 27,145 acres, outside Shady Cove, 90 percent contained.

-- Monument Fire, 24,378 acres, outside Unity, 95 percent contained.

[AuntB]

Today you can actually smell the heat of the fire, not just the smoke. It's eerie and beyond sad. It makes me angry, Dave. Here's that little gem from Joseph Farah. It "bears" repeating:

It reminds me of the old story of the atheist taking a walk through the woods, admiring all the natural majesty.

"What beautiful trees!" he exclaims. "What powerful rivers and streams! What interesting animals!"

Just then he hears a rustling in the bushes and sees a giant bear charge toward him.

The atheist runs as fast as he can, but the bear is gaining on him. His heart is racing as he runs. He looks over his shoulder to see the bear is only a few feet behind. As he turns, he trips over a branch and falls to the ground. He looks up to see the bear right on top of him with a paw raised ready to strike a deadly blow.

"Oh God!" cries the atheist.

At that instant, time stops. The bear freezes. The forest is silent. Even the river stops running.

The atheist hears a voice coming from heaven: "You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and credit creation to a cosmic accident. Yet, now you call on me for help? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist says: "No, it would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a believer. But perhaps you could make the bear a believer?"

"Very well," says the voice.

In an instant, the sounds of the forest are back, the river is running again. The bear sits down. Putting both paws together, he bows his head and says: "Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, may I be truly thankful. Amen."