With 1100+ folks working the fire that began on May 14th, I am getting this question a lot. Along with, why wasn't it put out then it started?
The short answer is that these mountains are rough. There are no trails. Yes, folks who climb mountains can navigate them, but putting out a fire is a different story. They pretty much have to wait for the fire to move to an area that allows them to engage with it.
I think a lot of people are asking the same questions because the incident command team put out a short video a few weeks ago that explains the nature of this fire in this very rugged terrain, along with some of the challenges they encounter.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DeUeUVMPM/
So, it'll be some time before it's really all out, but we've had some rain and they've downsized the crew to less than 500.
No homes or structures have burned and they have been able to keep the fire contained to the national forest and national wilderness area. Very little private property, if any, has burned and we haven't seen or smelled smoke in a week. The fire currently sits at 31,860 acres, but it is 94% contained.
So thank you for your prayers and for checking in on is. We're so greatful for your kindness. We are safe and well and we continue to keep the team working the fire and the families of those who lost their lives in the Medi-vac accident in our prayers.
Our rainy season is generally July and August and our average rainfall here is supposed to be 11", but those 'average' years are rare. Many years we get half of that...or less. That's why you get so many celebratory rain posts and pictures of rain gauges through the years. 😂
Here's hoping this will be one of those over-average years!
3 comments:
Prayers continue for the safety of the firefighters. The phrase “it is 94% contained” must be music to your ears.
Fire is good for burning away the underbrush in a forest.
I remember reading a condensed article in a Reader's Digest about a book called "I Cry for the Mountains." The author had been taught by his grandfather and father, who had been taught by the Indians, when and how to set the autumn fires so that the woods would be renewed. It makes sense - there has to be some fire clearing away the bushes at some time, and just before winter sets in sounds like a good time.
So there is a reason for letting the fire burn out on it's own.
My dad was a Wildfire incident commander and my uncle a hot shot - they talked about this stuff a lot - its amazing to learn about fire and how it creates its own environment... hope its completly out soon
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