Jolly Mountain Fire - EVACUATED (1 Viewer)

liftapint said:
Update, as of 9/8

Approximate acreage: 26,325
Containment: 8%
Resources on the Fire: 18 crews, 5 helicopters, 77 engines
Total personnel: 831

I think the fire threat to my cabin is over (for the most part). My neighbor's webcam pointed uphill toward the fire was showing glowing orange sky during the black of night, for several days in a row as the fire got really close. But for the past 2 nights, the camera has shown nothing but the black of night! Also, after having a 2-man "fire spotter" crew stationed at my house for 2 days in a row, yesterday, they were not assigned to my house. This has to be good news. My best guess is that the fire team let the fire burn right up to the fire containment line and let it hang there until the fire fuels were gone, and then the fire retreated. I think the fire containment plan is working, and the team's area of focus has moved on to other areas, with the fire.

The weather is also turning about 10 degrees cooler, which will help. Still no rain in the forecast, but the shift in temps will help.

Thanks for the well-wishes. I think the threat to my place is much lower than it was. I'm feeling relieved, and thankful.

Now...COME ON FLORIDA!! Hang on!!!!!!!!!!!!
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This is great news! Karen has been asking me about every 8 hours for a week now "what's the status on Mel's cabin" -- finally i can provide her with a positive report. (y) :thumbsup:
 
liftapint said:
Update, as of 9/8

Approximate acreage: 26,325
Containment: 8%
Resources on the Fire: 18 crews, 5 helicopters, 77 engines
Total personnel: 831

I think the fire threat to my cabin is over (for the most part). My neighbor's webcam pointed uphill toward the fire was showing glowing orange sky during the black of night, for several days in a row as the fire got really close. But for the past 2 nights, the camera has shown nothing but the black of night! Also, after having a 2-man "fire spotter" crew stationed at my house for 2 days in a row, yesterday, they were not assigned to my house. This has to be good news. My best guess is that the fire team let the fire burn right up to the fire containment line and let it hang there until the fire fuels were gone, and then the fire retreated. I think the fire containment plan is working, and the team's area of focus has moved on to other areas, with the fire.

The weather is also turning about 10 degrees cooler, which will help. Still no rain in the forecast, but the shift in temps will help.

Thanks for the well-wishes. I think the threat to my place is much lower than it was. I'm feeling relieved, and thankful.

Now...COME ON FLORIDA!! Hang on!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Great news!
 
liftapint said:
Update, as of 9/8

Approximate acreage: 26,325
Containment: 8%
Resources on the Fire: 18 crews, 5 helicopters, 77 engines
Total personnel: 831

I think the fire threat to my cabin is over (for the most part). My neighbor's webcam pointed uphill toward the fire was showing glowing orange sky during the black of night, for several days in a row as the fire got really close. But for the past 2 nights, the camera has shown nothing but the black of night! Also, after having a 2-man "fire spotter" crew stationed at my house for 2 days in a row, yesterday, they were not assigned to my house. This has to be good news. My best guess is that the fire team let the fire burn right up to the fire containment line and let it hang there until the fire fuels were gone, and then the fire retreated. I think the fire containment plan is working, and the team's area of focus has moved on to other areas, with the fire.

The weather is also turning about 10 degrees cooler, which will help. Still no rain in the forecast, but the shift in temps will help.

Thanks for the well-wishes. I think the threat to my place is much lower than it was. I'm feeling relieved, and thankful.

Now...COME ON FLORIDA!! Hang on!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Update?
 
Update 9/13:

Approximate acreage: 32,500
Containment: 15%
Resources on the Fire: 18 crews, 5 helicopters, 69 engines
Total personnel: 784

We are still evacuated, but there is a possibility that we might be able to return to our homes within a week. The temperatures are much cooler now (daytime highs of 70), and there is rain in the forecast for Sunday and Monday.
 
IMG_8902.JPG


A friend of mine sent me this photo yesterday. Mountain is still smoldering.
 
Update: 9/17

Approximate acreage: 32,500 36,800
Containment: 15% 40%
Resources on the Fire: 18 crews, 5 helicopters, 69 engines 10 crews, 5 helicopters, 22 engines
Total personnel: 784 483

As you can see, they have been removing resources from the fire, as it is becoming more and more contained. The fire crew in command has been changed from a Type 1 team (most emergent) to a Type 3 team, reflecting the drop in threat level. They have also dropped the evacuation level from 3 (highest) to 2, so we are now free to return to our homes.

I have not read all of the fire coverage over the past week, but I don't think ANY structures were lost. The fire crews are now focused on "mop up", and looking for hot spots along the containment lines. Attention is also turning to assessing landscape rehabilitation needs and development of a strategy for repairing forest resource damage.

The weather is really starting to turn, much cooler temperatures. It is supposed to start raining today, and rain most of the week.


It was a stressful month, for sure. But I think this chapter is basically over. Will be very interesting to get back up there and see what the new landscape looks like. Time to start moving back in...


Thanks for all of the good thoughts from everyone!
 
Glad to hear things appear well and are returning to normalcy up there.

The Eagle Creek fire is probably still weeks away from containment, so we are embracing the fall's first rain moreso than usual.
 
They may as well have made $1.7BilgillentyGazillion dollars. If he is smart, he will make payments for the next 10 years of his life and stay out of trouble and be relieved of the burden. He will be in the clear by the time he is 26.
 
justsomedude said:
Restitution penalty dropped on the Eagle Creek fire starter...

http://www.koin.com/news/oregon/jud...-opinion-for-eagle-creek-fire-teen/1190759924
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For those who get nervous clicking internet links: "Dropped" meaning "levied against" in this instance, not meaning "waived/dismissed". This is also about the Columbia River Gorge fire, not Mel's fire. I was in Portland this spring after the fire, and multiple trails in the gorge are closed to hiking. There is still plenty to see and do in the area, and it's a fantastic trip for anyone who hasn't been!

F5FC8EBA-9F45-44C7-B6E2-226F16970CE9.jpeg
CF57BD67-F4D2-4DB3-A108-A6AD33D09008.jpeg
 
So, we had this big fire near our cabin a few years ago, during which we got evacuated. Well, because this fire removed all of the ground cover in the area, the hillside was de-stabilized, and we had a big mudslide last night, that took out the water system to the 10 houses in our "neighborhood". We might be without water for quite some time (potentially MONTHS), as we're expected to get a bunch of snow tonight, so the area might be covered with snow until spring, making it impossible to fix it. Of course, if it warms up and rains again after the next batch of snow, we might have MORE slides. The ground is very saturated.

Fingers crossed. Could be a very interesting couple of months ahead.

Gotta love remote mountain living!
 
Department of Ecology is on their way out to assess everything -- sounds like we'll be getting some "state of emergency" funds to help with stabilizing the area and cleaning some things up. So crazy.
 
liftapint said:
So, we had this big fire near our cabin a few years ago, during which we got evacuated. Well, because this fire removed all of the ground cover in the area, the hillside was de-stabilized, and we had a big mudslide last night, that took out the water system to the 10 houses in our "neighborhood". We might be without water for quite some time (potentially MONTHS), as we're expected to get a bunch of snow tonight, so the area might be covered with snow until spring, making it impossible to fix it. Of course, if it warms up and rains again after the next batch of snow, we might have MORE slides. The ground is very saturated.

Fingers crossed. Could be a very interesting couple of months ahead.

Gotta love remote mountain living!
Click to expand...
So sorry to hear about this recent development. Doesn’t sound good but hoping that things turn for the better. Above all, be safe! Good thoughts sent your way.
 

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