Wild, funny day - with lightning and fires, too.

[DemoTex]

Mid-afternoon: dispatch broadcasts to fire units on the west side (Cascade Lakes area) that a guy had entered the head rangers building at Red Oaks and announced that he was driving into the Deschutes NF and starting a bonfire, that would get bigger and bigger.

An hour later the public reports a lightning fire near Crane Prairie. The USFS dispatch to the engine and crew mentioned that the 911 dispatcher considered the reporting party (RP) very intoxicated. LEO were also dispatched.

My hunter-killer team lurked in the SE corner of the Deschutes NF today. An engine on Pine Mountain, me on my lookout, and the battalion commander. The lightning moved in and, ZOT!, a fire.

My battalion commander owes me a new computer screen. I had him on the fire, and I was fine-tuning the lat/lon PLSS conversion (with a canned lemonade in hand) when he reported a huge bull in the field he was crossing to the fire. I spewed the lemonade. That whole bit will be an essay in the next day or so.

Here are the pics from today:


These clouds were a thunderstorm thirty minutes later.


Anticipating bad lightning, they staged an engine on top of Pine Mountain to help me spot. I push-pinned a compass rose on his location. Little did I know where the helping azimuth would end up coming from (had to move the compass rose).


Looking out over Pine Mountain where an engine crew sits ready to help.


The dry thunderstorms roll in. I'm ready with binocs, video, and my Canon EOS 5D-MII


Sixteen Butte


The opticals got a workout today, as did I.


End of the day over China Hat butte.

[Suich]

1. Glad I stayed up to read your post, mac!

Some fires in Eastern Washington around Wenatchee but controlled, so far.

Is "a huge bull" a euphemism or ???

Nice pics, especially the last one!

:hi:

[DemoTex]

4. No, it was a big mean male of some species of cattle.

Ironically, and I just thought of it, I think one of the big SOCAL fires right now is the "Bull Fire." Another is the "Crown Fire." I can't remember the third SOCAL fire name.

But here is the 4-1-1 on this fire today (#449). It was in N 43 32 04.4 W 120 59 21.5. That is about 1/2 mile south of the Deschutes NF southern border in that TRSS section. It was in leased public lands (you and I own that land).

My crews arrived on the fire about 25 minutes after I called it in. Hell, we were calling lighning strikes and I have complete radar and lightning map in the lookout.

But the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) refused to give my USFS crews permission to attack the fire! I shit you not. You should have heard the radio traffic from my BC! Mother of my dog!

South Canyon (Colorado fire at Storm King that killed 14 fire fighters) redux. What is it with these BLM fiefdoms?

The same thing happened yesterday. Spring and I crossed on a big fire on district lines. It ended up in Lakeview BLM. By the time Lakeview BLM got on scene, we had a heavy engine (E-31) sitting there with the crew champing at the bit. Their help was refused by the Lakeview BLM IC. He ordered a heavy engine from ODF (Oregon Dept. of Forestry) and sent the USFS engine packing. It took ODF almost two hours to get to the fire scene.

Meanwhile, the fire ran, torched trees, and finally crowned. Wish I'd had some popcorn!

:popcorn:

[cilla4progress]

11. Hi, y'all - from eastern Washington (near Wenatchee)

Yes, indeed, we are in the middle of fire season here. It's so fun to read your posts DT. I think we'll make it this year...at least so far -- rain came in with the lightning. Not like '94, where we lost our home and barns (but lived to tell about it...)!

Thanks to all of those who keep us safe from wildfire.

[ConsAreLiars]

2. If you have the chance and time,

get over to the Scott Lake campground and trailhead, and do the Tenas Lakes day hike. If you have week or more, carry your gear 1/4 mile into the second of the Scott Lakes and enjoy a few days of living in paradise, Well, you've got one variant now, but this is a very lazed back one. Ask me to post a few pics why and I will, but just ask around.

(edit in missed word)

[Hekate]

3. As always, drop dead gorgeous photos. Thanks so much for sharing.

:hi:

Hekate

[aquart]

5. Oh my. Was that a rainbow?

You see that all day, do you?

[annabanana]

6. How badly "Bushed up" is the BLM, I wonder.?

We know that "loyal Bushies" got pretty seriously burrowed into the

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. Is that a dog brush at the ready in pic 4?

Can't be too prepared, I suspect!

Nice shots, Demotex.

[DemoTex]

9. Indeed.

[tabatha]

8. great pics, as usual.

But where is the Canon EOS 5D-MII in #4?
(taking the pic, I guess)

Is that a microphone in the pipe?

[DemoTex]

10. New pics coming in 10 minutes