Oregon Hikers

Area of active burning is greatly reduced.

I'm encouraged by reports that most of Mill City was spared from the Santiam Fire. First, it's great that people there still has their homes to go back to. But secondarily, I hope this is evidence that the fires are burning in a mosaic pattern rather than as a conflagration destroying all in their paths.

My heart goes out to all those that lost their homes and loved ones. This one hit personally as the hillockburn area where I grew up got hit really bad. Have many family members evacuated, and fire was within a few hundred feet of my dad's current house. Luckily some folks came together and got it stopped for now. I think the firefighters are making good progress around the populated areas but looks to be exploding in the olallie area now. A lot of special places will be dramatically changed for sure.
I'm pretty sure we saw the lions head fire start from scout lake in Jefferson park on 8/16. Got caught in a thunderstorm.
Dan

VIIRS via FIRMS September 14th, AM update. Renewed fire activity around Mt Jefferson.

We'll have see how much was burned in the northern part of the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness when this is all over, but if you look at both the fire activity and fire history layers on Caltopo it paints a pretty grim picture for that poor wilderness. After this there will be only a few pockets of the wilderness that haven't been affected by fire in the past two decades.

justpeachy wrote: ↑

September 14th, 2020, 12:16 pm

We'll have see how much was burned in the northern part of the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness when this is all over, but if you look at both the fire activity and fire history layers on Caltopo it paints a pretty grim picture for that poor wilderness. After this there will be only a few pockets of the wilderness that haven't been affected by fire in the past two decades.

I had finally figured out what I could do with my indefinite unemployment- the plan was to hike some trails in the Central Cascades Wilderness areas this fall, before the new permit system made access expensive and inconvenient. I managed to do the Broken Top Loop (it's GREAT!), and was saving the Jefferson Wilderness trails for the fall, thinking they'd be less crowded and that the fall colors would be beautiful. I shoulda gone earlier I guess.

This is interesting: today's infrared "Fire Activity" layer shows a line of controlled burns happening on the Warm Springs Reservation. The Lionshead Fire is spreading to the northeast, and they've created a fire line in front of it along the B-200 and B-210 Roads.

adamschneider wrote: ↑

September 16th, 2020, 1:29 pm

shows a line of controlled burns happening on the Warm Springs Reservation.

I was wondering what was going on there. Probably to keep it from reaching 26?

The Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center posted today: "We still have not received word from the US Forest Service regarding the fate of Jawbone Flats and the surrounding forest. The expected weather earlier this week did not materialize, so it remains dangerous to go that far into the fire on the ground or to fly over. We are hoping the Thursday night and Friday weather that is forecasted will clear the smoke enough for aerial inspection."

Sadly, I don't see how any of those buildings could have survived.

Gold Butte Lookout is still outside the fire perimeter. The buildings at Olallie Lake were saved.

Bolan Mountain Lookout in southern Oregon didn't make it.

justpeachy wrote: ↑

September 16th, 2020, 4:05 pm

The buildings at Olallie Lake were saved.

I couldn't imagine being in an area like that surrounded by fire. Even with a unlimited supply of lake water. Wonder what plan 'B' is in a case like that if you loose control of the fire. Swim for it? Steal a boat?