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Author Topic: I'm back. Smokey, but back.  (Read 1263 times)

Offline Randy Powell

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I'm back. Smokey, but back.
« on: August 07, 2007, 12:09:18 PM »
Well, I'll be getting back to work on the new killer now. Been gone on vacation for the past week and a half to sunny and smoky Idaho. 16 largely uncontrolled forest and range fires made for an interesting vacation. We even had to leave town kinda suddenly when the Granite Creek fire changed direction and jumped the ridge, threatening to close the road we were planning to leave by. The lake was nice and the temps warm but not overpowering, but the smoke in valley got to be a bit much. Canoeing in smoke banks isn't much fun. My sinuses still haven't settled down.

It's unnerving when a forest service truck roars up and says you have to leave now if you want to leave at all. Yikes!

Glad to be back.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2007, 09:36:16 AM by Randy Powell »
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Offline Bootlegger

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Re: I'm back. Smoky, but back.
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2007, 12:16:00 PM »
          H^^    Glad your back,           Smokey...LOL D>K
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Offline John Miller

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Re: I'm back. Smoky, but back.
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2007, 01:33:24 PM »
Glad you survived Randy. Yep, we here in the western mountain states have about burned up with the wild fires. Most are close to, or under control, though a lot of them are still burning.

Now, you can get back to finishing that new plane. My work on the new Pathfinder is on hold until the laser cut parts arrive. So, I'm going to use the time to participate in my other hobby/

I'm leaving today for a week, or two. I'll be backpacking with my son into the High Uintas wilderrness area. There was a large wildfire on the east end earlier in the summer, but it's supposed to be out, and didn't get too far into the wilderness area. I don't expect to be going that far east though.

Last summer I spent 11 days in the Uintas. You wouldn't believe the fishing...... Brookies, Goldens, Browns, Rainbows, Cut throat, and Arctic Grayling. Only met a few folks during the entire trip.

Here's a photo taken early in the morning at one of the 1000 lakes in the wilderness last summer. This is Ledge Lake, in the Upper Rock Creek Basin, about 22 trail miles into the wilderness.
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Offline Randy Powell

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Re: I'm back. Smoky, but back.
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2007, 01:35:10 PM »
Ty,

I saw Ed for a about 10 minutes and got a chance to say hello. He noted that Al and Carol are having they 51th wedding anniversary party the end of this month. I even got an invite. Wow.

It's pretty up there...when it's not burining up. I was there when the Blackwell Lake fire that burned 1.7 million acres started. It can be a tough place during fire season.

Ed looks good, by the way.

John,

>>Most are close to, or under control, though a lot of them are still burning.<<

In Idaho, they are apparently all burning. We talked to some forest service people at the McCall Smokejumper Center (now that's a job they can keep) and they said that the most contained fire in the state is about 20% (near Murphy at the Idaho/Nevada border). The three up near McCall (East Zone Complex, Raines Complex and Cascade Complex - most of 70,000 acres all together) are less than 9% contained and they don't expect to contain them at all. They are spending the limited resources they have (funds to fight wildfires were cut severely this last year) to try to redirect them so they don't burn up the towns and housing developments in the area. But they won't be contained until the first snow. Just not enough funds to fight the things aggressively. The Granite Lake fire that just started last Friday started off as about 200 acres. It's growing rapidly since they didn't have the crews to fight it effectively and the winds didn't help either. The logging outfits are turning purple, they know there isn't much that can be done at this stage in the game but doesn't make them less unhappy. Tough deal. The guy we talked to at the center said that a million acres have already burned and they estimate that by the time the first snow hits, some 1.5 to 2.5 million acres of forest and another 1 to 1.5 million acres of brushland will be burned, depending on when that snow hits and what the wind does. They estimate the loss of some 100,000 to 150,000 head of cattle and a lot of wild life. So look for the price of wood products and beef to skyrocket.

Tough year. Glad to be back. The weather may be rainy and windy here (you'd never know it's August), but at least it isn't on fire.

« Last Edit: August 07, 2007, 02:00:01 PM by Randy Powell »
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Offline Chris McMillin

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Re: I'm back. Smoky, but back.
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2007, 02:45:32 PM »
Interestingly, the private companies in Canada that own the logging rights/land/whatever had developed their own fire fighting airplanes from the Martin Mars and maintained them for decades as a private fire fighting force to protect their business interests.

...The logging companies are turning purple...

Maybe they should invest their own dough into fire fighting along with the Fed, if they don't already, that is.

Chris...
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Offline Randy Powell

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Re: I'm back. Smoky, but back.
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2007, 09:23:04 PM »
Chris,

I'm sure they contribute something. It was just sad to see. McCall is a pretty place.
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Offline Steve Holt

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Re: I'm back. Smoky, but back.
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2007, 10:23:53 PM »
Randy,
There is something wrong in your vacation planning.  Forest fires this year, earthquake in Hawaii last year (or the year before?).
Steve
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Offline Bill Little

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Re: I'm back. Smoky, but back.
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2007, 06:04:08 AM »
Hi Randy,

Glad that you are safe and sound.  BTW: let me know where you plan on taking vaction next year so I can be sure to go the other way.............. ;D
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Offline Randy Powell

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Re: I'm back. Smoky, but back.
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2007, 09:35:50 AM »
Yea, seems we've had some interesting luck lately.

Next vacation is VSC in March. Hmmm.

Just remember: the worse day in Hawai'i is better than the best day most other places.   LL~

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Offline Steve Holt

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Re: I'm back. Smokey, but back.
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2007, 12:05:42 PM »
Randy,
I'll let the disaster relief agencies here in Tucson know that you are coming so they can get prepared.  We haven't had an earthquake in a very long time, but it is possible.  Heavy rains up in the mountains could flood the river near the flying field.  A blizzard in March?

Seriously, the highway department has done their part by closing all the downtown exits off I-10.  The club will provide instructions on how to get to the field and the Rodeway (now Comfort Inn) based on the traffic restrictions at the time.

Steve
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Offline Randy Powell

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Re: I'm back. Smokey, but back.
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2007, 02:08:37 PM »
Steve,

Hey, don't do anything special on my part.   LL~

I plan to talk a friend that lives down there in the winter to haul a plane for me and I'm going to fly in this time.
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