Western Fires !!!

[Motorcycledave]

I guess we don't have to worry about forest fires next year
because there will be nothing left to burn.....
All joking aside, there are fires all over up and down the coast
and the SMOKE is KILLER, my wife has very bad ASTHMA, she can
not go outside at all right now. The smoke is so thick that the outside
lights that come on automatically at night, are on right now and it is
10:50AM.. On the bright side we are safe and not living in or near a fire zone
but the smoke from the fires drifts all over the state. ASH is everywhere on
everything.
A few prayers for all the displaced folks would be nice.
Dave

[Arion]

Reports we see indicate disastrous fires all up and down the west coast. It has to be beyond horrible. Attended high school in Vacaville, between San Francisco and Sacramento, and to undergrad school just west of Portland, Oregon. Both areas seem to be almost surrounded by wild fires. I can't imagine what conditions must be like and gladly offer hope and prayers for all those threatened and displaced.

[RICZ]

Fires were knocking at Portland's door, but a change in the weather had us ducking that bullet. Thick, orange smoke hangs around since the wind stopped and the air is still. Rain is predicted to start Monday and continuing through the week. That will help to clear the smoke and slow the fires.
All of my favorite riding destinations are gone, burnt to the ground, so it's going to be tough coming up with a lunch ride after this is over.

[bigbadbrucie]

Gotta say that I feel for all of the Western U.S. residents. Here in South-Western B.C. we’re told that all of the smoke we’re getting is from the California/Oregon/Washington State fires. I live within 5 miles of the mountains, and cannot see them because of the smoke. Praying for some rain to assist the forest fire fighters in their unceasing efforts.

[canamjhb]

We have had a thick haze in the Phoenix area for 3 days now. The good part is the haze is keeping the temperatures down during the day. But the haze doesn't let a lot of cooling at night. Outside activities are limited for us old farts. Prayers for those displaced..... Jim

[mcan1x]

I flew in right around noon.

It's sad how we got all of the non stop coverage over demonstrations in a 1 block area, but when the state's on fire, there's nothing.

I pray for all of the people losing everything in this mess.

[Wmoater]

What is hard to imagine and I'm sure someone else will chime in later in the day but they say our (West coast) fires this year are some of the worst and the worst in Oregon history. Just imagine how bad it was in Australia last year? Now we can see first hand in our back yard the destruction and they say The Australian fires last summer were 3 times as big. I'm not saying that negative either. I guess our eyes can be opened now to other country events. It can happen anywhere. My cousins live all up and down the West coast and 3 of them are living on the east coast with some of us for the next school year. They lost everything.

[ButterSmooth]

Last evening as our kids left for home across town, we watched the 'ash rain' in the cars headlights. No fires near, but that could change any second. Visibility in the smoke is perhaps 300 yards and air quality is in the 'dangerous' range, actually off the scale. All of the vehicles on the move through this stuff are going to pay a toll. I'm reminded of the Mt. St. Helens eruption and the many ash destroyed engines. Wood ash is not as abrasive as volcanic ash, but we shouldn't breathe it and neither should our vehicles. Come-on rain!

[Peter Aawen]

I guess we don't have to worry about forest fires next year
because there will be nothing left to burn.....
........
A few prayers for all the displaced folks would be nice.
Dave

My thoughts & go out to all those effected and those fighting the fires over there!

But beware, if our experience here in Oz is anything to go by, that 'no fires next year' thing might not be quite the case

After all the horrendous fires we had here in Oz last summer, the unexpected warmth and rain during our 'off-season' has created a massive amount of regrowth, and all it'll take is a hot & dry spring &/or early summer for this coming fire season to be potentially as bad if not worse than the last!! In fact, we've already had the earliest start to a fire-season in recorded history here in Oz - wildfires & bushfires are already happening!

Still, aside from the early season start, I specifically said 'worse' cos there's the potential for any later fires here to burn just as destructively hot as the last lot, but be even 'quicker spreading' too; due to the vast amount & area of the thick & scrubby, lush, but already drying out re-growth!! And even if we dodge another 'annus horribilus' of bushfires this coming season, the long term risk & potential for even more disaster is going to remain with us and only get worse over time, because the lessons that could've/should've been learned and applied from the last season in particular and the last few millenia of fires & 'fire management' on this continent in general are STILL largely being thwarted here; and the worst offenders for this are often those who think they are 'championing the environment & conservation' by imposing their misguided & ideological ideas & 'rules' on everything instead of looking at the solutions learned & derived from those millenia of 'on the fire-ground' experience we have at hand! But you don't really want to get me started on the idiocy in all that!!

Again, my thoughts & go out to all experiencing & impacted by the fires over there. Stay Healthy, Stay Safe!

[Motorcycledave]

My thoughts & go out to all those effected and those fighting the fires over there!

But beware, if our experience here in Oz is anything to go by, that 'no fires next year' thing might not be quite the case

After all the horrendous fires we had here in Oz last summer, the unexpected warmth and rain during our 'off-season' has created a massive amount of regrowth, and all it'll take is a hot & dry spring &/or early summer for this coming fire season to be potentially as bad if not worse than the last!! In fact, we've already had the earliest start to a fire-season in recorded history here in Oz - wildfires & bushfires are already happening!

Still, aside from the early season start, I specifically said 'worse' cos there's the potential for any later fires here to burn just as destructively hot as the last lot, but be even 'quicker spreading' too; due to the vast amount & area of the thick & scrubby, lush, but already drying out re-growth!! And even if we dodge another 'annus horribilus' of bushfires this coming season, the long term risk & potential for even more disaster is going to remain with us and only get worse over time, because the lessons that could've/should've been learned and applied from the last season in particular and the last few millenia of fires & 'fire management' on this continent in general are STILL largely being thwarted here; and the worst offenders for this are often those who think they are 'championing the environment & conservation' by imposing their misguided & ideological ideas & 'rules' on everything instead of looking at the solutions learned & derived from those millenia of 'on the fire-ground' experience we have at hand! But you don't really want to get me started on the idiocy in all that!!

Again, my thoughts & go out to all experiencing & impacted by the fires over there. Stay Healthy, Stay Safe!

YES you guys got slammed with hellish fires as well, I was just trying to make lite of a bad situation

[Mikey]

[2dogs]

.... the last few millenia of fires & 'fire management' on this continent in general are STILL largely being thwarted here; and the worst offenders for this are often those who think they are 'championing the environment & conservation' by imposing their misguided & ideological ideas & 'rules' on everything instead of looking at the solutions learned & derived from those millenia of 'on the fire-ground' experience we have at hand! But you don't really want to get me started on the idiocy in all that!!

In southern Oregon some wack-o (I'm trying to be political correct) was arrested for starting a fire behind the fire lines where evacuees were fleeing their homes from the main fire. There's a number of other similar instances that have been reported in and around these massive fires. Most fires have been contributed to lighting strikes, however arson is still being considered as the cause for some fires. The US Forest Service, laden with environmental activists, is taking heat for long term miss management of their areas of responsibility. Surprisingly, some top USFS officials agree with public criticism of their department's shortcomings. Pacific Gas and Electric has sure changed their ways after litigation and millions of dollars in payouts to fire victims for the fire their negligence caused a couple of years ago.

[iridenow]

Some of the fires that were going in Southern California were so bad we could smell it in Phoenix. It was faint but it was there.

[pegasus1300]

We are dry as an old bone here in Utah and the smoke from The California fires is giving us some beautiful sunsets. Dave I hope you all continue to be safe and that your wife's asthma will give her a little peace. Hopefully the rains will come soon and clean out the air and restore out ground and put out the fires.

[RICZ]

There have been several instances of arsonists caught in the act of setting fires both in OR and WA. Sad that there are such people using up oxygen. Also a waste of oxygen are those looting vacated homes in Level 3 Evacuation zones.

[LeftCoast]

SFBay area and I think this is our 28th straight spare the air day. We couldn’t open windows during the heat wave then the fire and ash came. Cars drive down the street and there’s a wake of ash flying up behind them like the wake of a ski boat. I haven’t seen blue sky for weeks and as if not being able to go outside due to Covid wasn’t bad enough now the air is barely breathable. Going out for a walk or a bike ride was a sanity saving event. Now that’s gone too. I took my family out for an open air social distance seating mask wearing dinner tonight and ash was raining into my beer.

I drank it mind you because I am after all not a beer snob but I have to admit I’m seriously sick of living the apocalypse.

[ARtraveler]

SFBay area and I think this is our 28th straight spare the air day. We couldn’t open windows during the heat wave then the fire and ash came. Cars drive down the street and there’s a wake of ash flying up behind them like the wake of a ski boat. I haven’t seen blue sky for weeks and as if not being able to go outside due to Covid wasn’t bad enough now the air is barely breathable. Going out for a walk or a bike ride was a sanity saving event. Now that’s gone too. I took my family out for an open air social distance seating mask wearing dinner tonight and ash was raining into my beer.

I drank it mind you because I am after all not a beer snob but I have to admit I’m seriously sick of living the apocalypse.

Our thoughts and go out to all who are impacted by the fires.

[redrazor]

In southern Oregon some wack-o (I'm trying to be political correct) was arrested for starting a fire behind the fire lines where evacuees were fleeing their homes from the main fire. There's a number of other similar instances that have been reported in and around these massive fires......

Rioters have moved from trying to burn down businesses and gov't buildings to setting fires At least (4) scary looking folks arrested in WA, OR, and CA. One 'whack-o' was shot by the property owner when caught starting a fire in rural Oregon. Lots of scary stuff going on.

[2dogs]

I feel so bad for these poor folks who've lost everything because of these horrible fires. And to have someone starting more fires just to get their jollies is unforgiveable. The victim's immediate losses are only the first in a long line of heart aches. Recovery takes years, and as far as the loss of life goes, recovery is never over. I can relate to these situations because of being evacuated in 2012 where the fire line was contained within a half mile of our home. Being lucky and thankful comes to mind, but for those who’ve lost it all, there are no words to express their grief.

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

It's been pretty ugly in northern NV for the past couple of weeks, too. We had a couple of lighter days here and there, but for the most part the Sierras just across the valley from me were invisible. My wife also has asthma and has been mostly hunkered down at home. Today was the first time I've seen the Sierras from the house since the fires started. Our sympathies go out to those dislocated and those who've lost everything in these fires.

[bigbadbrucie]

Today is a very rainy day, and the forecast is for this to last for the next 7 days. I don’t know how far south this weather front extends, but I do know that Seattle is supposed to be getting it also. I’m just hoping that it extends farther south. If it does, we should be hearing from those in Oregon and maybe even Northern California.

[RICZ]

It's raining here in the NW corner of Oregon, shooting up your way, according to my radar app. We're getting pretty wet here in Portland. That might put a damper on the riots. Hard to light a match.