Another big fire on the divide

[Hoser John 1,240]

2 extra trucks anytime needed bud-many fires starting up here and Salmon Complex is a huge one also. Just toooooooooo darn dry and can't keep up with Siskiyou road closures closures as more added constantly-stay away from the forks of the salmon. My friends hightailed it outta Park City area and now just waitn' to see what/if/happens-such misery John

[Steel Pan 327]

Man, it it does break the ridge to Tahoe, the whole bowl could go.

Lots of bug kill dead timber and an abundance of undergrowth just waiting for a spark.

[El Dorado 964]

Thanks John and to others that have offered help. I really doubt if we will get in trouble from this puny little fire even though it is close. It would take a rare wind from the E- NE to put us in harms way. Visibility in the smoke this morn is maybe 30 yards. Last nights report said over 12000 acres and it made it over the top of the divide and now it's in the North Fork drainage

Edited August 18, 2013 by El Dorado

[Bedrock Bob 4,015]

When you say "the divide" what divide are you speaking of? The Pacific Divide or a divide between two watersheds?

[El Dorado 964]

The one I live on.......

[Bedrock Bob 4,015]

The Forresthill divide between the forks of the American just east of Auburn...

40% containment with no structures or communities threatened. It is pretty much trapped on the ridge and bounded on three sides by the American moving away from you. There is good access to fight it with Forresthill Road running along the entire western boundary. The fire would have to grow exponentially (on the order of 5X) to get anywhere near Tahoe.

Looks like a light breeze today with humidity up there about 15%.

I think you can relax a bit. It does not seem to be much of a growing concern. Although it may be nearly impossible to fight it is easy to contain with all of the geographical barriers surrounding it.

Looks like the South Fork will get flooding. A strip high on that ridge is burned and will really dump on the area below. You don't have much altitude to develop a killer wall of slurry but there is plenty for a major flood. That must be some rich ground on the SE flanks of Forresthill ridge. I bet the fire will cause a lot of material to go down the south fork. That could not be all bad as long as the mud gets no deeper than your Adams apple.

You folks are lucky to have those lush low mountains. Ours start at one mile high and go up for another mile and a half. A flood from a ridge fire running along a major watershed looks like the second coming. That country handles floods well as long as folks don't build on the steep slopes.

Seems like the threat to Forresthill is not the fire but the inevitable flooding of the South Fork.

Edited August 18, 2013 by Bedrock Bob

[El Dorado 964]

Easy to contain, your joking if course. It has already jumped their biggest firebreak ......and as I have said many times, my town is not in danger eventhough we are within 10 miles of the little fire. Certainly not as worrisome as the one last summer that got stopped about a mile from the house.......or the one two weeks ago when the retardant drops were in my neighborhood, or the one that threatened our main access point to the Divide last month.... This is a bad fire season all over the parched woodland of the Sierras

This is the Foresthill bridge, the tallest bridge in California, 730' above the river.

Edited August 18, 2013 by El Dorado

[Bedrock Bob 4,015]

Cool bridge! It is farther above the water than our biggie at Taos. I have been across both many times.

I guess "easy to contain" was a relative term. I meant that it was bounded by strong natural barriers that help a whole lot.

Yes, it is a bad fire year there. It has been all across the west for the last six years or so. Never before has it been so dry and this extended drought has wreaked havoc in the mountain west. We have had a few big fires this year but they have mostly been in vast wilderness. When they race through a populated area like yours they certainly are cause for concern.

[El Dorado 964]

4th tallest in the US

[Bedrock Bob 4,015]

Actually it is the fourth highest. It is 730 feet over the water but the structure is only 522 feet tall. The Rio Grande Gorge bridge is taller at 565 feet but sits only 660 feet over the water. So your bridge is higher but mine is taller.

. ..Just thought you would like to know...

Now I will admit. your spans are longer and the total length of your bridge is almost twice as long...but it still is not as tall as the bridge over the Rio Bravo. Our bridge does not need to be that long because our canyon is steeper. So while your bridge may be long our canyon is steep. That makes our canyon better and our bridge taller.

The main thing is there is gold under both of them.

...You know I am just messing with you don't you? We both live in the coolest place on the planet and get to do and see things most guys only dream of. I hope that fire stays away from you and your big a$$ beautiful bridge!

Edited August 18, 2013 by Bedrock Bob

[Steel Pan 327]

From one comment,...

" the tallest bridge in California"

...and you come back with,...

"So your bridge is higher but mine is taller."

"That makes our canyon better and our bridge taller."

Ya,...... and my big brother can whip your big brother.

I don't give a Schmidt about YOUR bridge.

The subject is the fire by Forest hill.

Sheesh, give it a break.

Before you respond,..

Yes, you are.

Get over yourself.

( Overwhelmed by their own perception of self importance )

JMHO,...

[El Dorado 964]

SP.......X2

None of the reporting agencies have updated this morning yet. But the smoke is so thick the sun looks like a tangerine. Only two reported minor injuries to the brave souls out fighting the fire. Must have been lots of folks praying for them, 'cause we actually got a small sprinkle of rain last evening. Just enough to bring the humidity up to 30% for awhile.

Edited August 19, 2013 by El Dorado

[Steel Pan 327]

Hey El D., I've logged in your neighborhood.

I know the terrain, and it ain't no cakewalk.

The ground is so steep we couldn't use Cats,

we ran a "highlead" operation.

I'd hate to have to fight fire in that area.

We are getting your smoke way over here.

Sometimes the smoke limiting view to about

1 or 2 miles. Enough to mess with my breathing.

[El Dorado 964]

The morning update. Fire grew to nearly 15,000 acres, the higher humidity must have helped slow the growth down a bit. Plus they noted that the areas that have been logged (thanks SP) are burning only moderately.........

My old dredge camp burned yesterday and the claim is being consumed as I type.......now they are calling for a town meeting tonight???

Edited August 19, 2013 by El Dorado

[Rimshot 181]

What is a divide El D? These terms confuse me..

Edited August 19, 2013 by Rimshot

[El Dorado 964]

The "Divide" as it is referred to is the land bound between the North Fork and the Middle Fork of the American Rivers. It's appropriate name is the "Foresthill Divide". It is a very famous Gold Rush era area.

[Rimshot 181]

Thank's El D for explaining.

[Steel Pan 327]

You are welcome for the loggin', my friend.

If you need fie protection, It just so happens that

I have a 4700 gal water truck w/hoses.

Drop me a PM and I'll fire 'er up.

[Bedrock Bob 4,015]

No morning update yet. I am worried about him. Someone needs to check on Steve and make sure he did not burst into flames.

[El Dorado 964]

The town briefing last night was interesting. The fire was most likely started by two males that did something stupid, they found them hitch hiking out and just so happens a ranger picked them up. Their burned truck was found at the place the fire started. They also explained about the procedures the Sherrif will go through for evacuations. If the fire gets out of a very inaccessible canyon, one of our small communities will get the order. I hope not, Michigan Bluff is one neat historic Gold Rush town.

Fire is now about 15000 acres. Resources are getting thin in the fire parched west. I'm not sure which fire they were talking about but it burned 50,000 acres in one day..........

[Bedrock Bob 4,015]

53% contained and no growth. Starting mop up operations on the western and southern boundaries.

Man, it just looks like this monster is raging out of control. We are so happy that you were able to survive the inferno and checked in this morning. Please keep us updated as this one fizzles into obscurity!

[El Dorado 964]

I want to thank all of the folks that have offered help in case it is needed. Even one forum member that offered to bring up his big water tanker. As I have said, Foresthill does not seem to be threatened. I also want to thank many for the supportive PM's and emails letting me know what they think of the forum troll........

[El Dorado 964]

Was at a our annual Lions club BBQ last night and got to meet the Incident commander, Rocky. Great guy with 41 years experience fighting wildfires. Got invited to go to the command center today and see the situation room. One of our local Sherriffs helped make this video. The nighttime time lapse is very cool. Fire approaching 16,000 acres with 62% containment. Lots of old growth is toast.....

[Steel Pan 327]

Great Video!

Thanks for sharin'.

My proverbial jaw dropped when watching the time lapse of the fire.

All I can add is,...WOW!

You can spend money in prevention or spend it fightin' the fires.

Good forest management would prevent a lot of these.

(Oh, wait, funds are "needed" overseas. )

[El Dorado 964]

Its so good the the winds have not been very bad, The puny little(according to someone) fire is now almost 17,000 acres and containment fell back a bit to 60%. They used a Cobra Helo fitted with IR and thermal sensors to locate areas that need special attention. Sept 1 is still the predicted containment date.