Classic mismanagement, again, by MHNF. They let it smolder for two weeks, until we got a huge wind 7/19, and POOF! It's raging now. Watched the plume spread out and obliterate the entire northern view from McNeil yesterday.sgyoung wrote:That's disappointing news. The last update I saw from the GRGFS said the fire was under control as of July 14th. Is this a different fire that has since picked up in intensity?
Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Karl
Back on the trail, again...
Back on the trail, again...
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Got it. Thanks for the update. That's pretty frustrating.kepPNW wrote:Classic mismanagement, again, by MHNF. They let it smolder for two weeks, until we got a huge wind 7/19, and POOF! It's raging now. Watched the plume spread out and obliterate the entire northern view from McNeil yesterday.sgyoung wrote:That's disappointing news. The last update I saw from the GRGFS said the fire was under control as of July 14th. Is this a different fire that has since picked up in intensity?
That said, I'm also not an expert on fire management; perhaps they let it smolder to burn off some underbrush with the hope that it would be beneficial in the long run. The inciweb overview kind of implies this was the strategy, in part due to the terrain. That seems like a bad idea in late July, even in a wet year, but I have no idea really.
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
So this fire appears to have started on July 4 at or near 7.5 Mile camp. What are the chances that it was a campfire? Officially the cause is unknown.
Letting fires in wilderness that are not threatening property smolder or burn out on their own is generally official policy, but I think only when they are known to be of natural origin. I think they are supposed to fight fires that people cause more aggressively in most cases.
Letting fires in wilderness that are not threatening property smolder or burn out on their own is generally official policy, but I think only when they are known to be of natural origin. I think they are supposed to fight fires that people cause more aggressively in most cases.
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Unofficially, it's rather acknowledged to have been fireworks, though. Here's a photo (taken 7/4, posted 7/5) of it burning when it was about the size of a large campfire. It's directly across the creek just above Twister Falls. A place I've never seen people. Between the date and the location, there seems to be little room to even speculate anything else... Certainly nothing natural.drm wrote:So this fire appears to have started on July 4 at or near 7.5 Mile camp. What are the chances that it was a campfire? Officially the cause is unknown.
Karl
Back on the trail, again...
Back on the trail, again...
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
The first thing that management considers in any fire situation is the safety of the people they send in to fight the fire. Supposedly this fire is on a 75% slope, which in terms of fire running upslope or debris rolling downslope, this isn't safe for anyone on the ground. Currently this is why they have initially resorted to water drops as the primary way to deal with this for now.Letting fires in wilderness that are not threatening property smolder or burn out on their own is generally official policy, but I think only when they are known to be of natural origin. I think they are supposed to fight fires that people cause more aggressively in most cases.
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Spontaneous Chimpmunk Combustion?kepPNW wrote:Unofficially, it's rather acknowledged to have been fireworks, though. Here's a photo (taken 7/4, posted 7/5) of it burning when it was about the size of a large campfire. It's directly across the creek just above Twister Falls. A place I've never seen people. Between the date and the location, there seems to be little room to even speculate anything else... Certainly nothing natural.drm wrote:So this fire appears to have started on July 4 at or near 7.5 Mile camp. What are the chances that it was a campfire? Officially the cause is unknown.
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
I guess it depends on what you feed them.Derwood wrote:Spontaneous Chimpmunk Combustion?
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Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Still closed?
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Yes.
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5403/37211/ wrote: Indian Creek Fire Update
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 10:00 a.m.
The Pacific Crest Trail is still open, but a closure is in effect for other recreation sites near the fire. The northern portion of Eagle Creek Trail #440 off of Interstate 84 is open, but it is closed within the boundaries of the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Punchbowl Falls is accessible, but Tunnel Falls is inside the closure. Forest Road 1310 is closed, along with Wahtum Lake and Indian Springs Campgrounds. Water is available for PCT hikers at Indian Springs but no camping is allowed within the closure area. PCT hikers may camp at Benson Plateau or in dispersed locations along the PCT. A map and full listing of closures can be found in the websites below.
- naturallog
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- Joined: February 2nd, 2016, 9:07 pm
- Location: Portland, OR
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Also from the InciWeb, a small silver lining: it appears to have been in smolder status for some days now. Let's see how it holds up this week.