Fires in the PNW

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This discussion was created from comments split from: Attention all Pacific NW T@B enthusiasts monthly breakfast.

Homebodyatheart

@ericnliz good call! The forecast isn't promising any relief by next weekend, either. I saw a car drive by a bit ago and the smoke in his headlights looks like thick fog. I sat out with the dogs a bit and my eyes were burning, lungs not happy either. They say it might be worse by morning. 



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Sharon_is_SAM

Sorry you folks are having to deal with those fires and smoke.  East coasters have their camping interrupted by bad weather and don't have to worry about wheezing when they step out their door.  Stay safe.

Homebodyatheart

@SAM it's coming in through slightly opened windows, an opened door, etc. While it's not as bad inside, it's becoming harder to hide from it. 

ericnliz

@SAM & @Homebodyatheart, This morning is actually looking WORSE than it did yesterday. @Homebodyatheart, Believe me, your picture is clear compared to what I'm lookin' at right now! Had to go find another inhaler this morning, as I used up the partial one from yesterday. Walking outside, your eyes IMMEDIATELY start burning. Stayin' inside today with the A/C on! If anyone is in an area with these, or worse conditions, PLEASE be aware of your health. Right now, the Spokane area is pretty much surrounded by fires, and the smoke is pouring in from all sides. If you're out camping, please choose an area with more than just a one way in, one way out access!!! Be safe! Thanks.

jgram2

Our yard/sky is full of ash, and I'm worried about our humming birds in addition to at risk people. And am so grateful that 153 hikers in the Eagle Creek area, who had to spend the night on the trails were led out safely by Forest service folks. I-84 between Troutdale and Hood River Or closed due to that fire. Several small towns in the Columbia Gorge have been evacuated and others are at a level 2 notice.

ericnliz

@Twojgrams, I have high school friends, and their families that live in both Eugene & Junction City. They have been keeping me appraised of the fire situation there as well. Really scary stuff this year with the heat, and no measurable rainfall. I haven't seen any hummingbirds here for about 3 weeks. Everyone needs to be extra careful if they're out and about camping in the Western States, and Canada. Please have thoughts for the firefighters battling not only the fires, but the heat as well!

gophergrad

@ericnliz I hear you re: the smoke.  Ours was either Hazardous or Very Unhealthy (maroon or purple dots on the map) all day yesterday.  Today is better - only Unhealthy (red).  We got a HEPA air filter thingy for the main rooms of the house and it's helping.  And those awful particulate respirator masks for outside.

Plus, cancelled this weekend's camping trip.  Everyplace is smokey, most places are on fire.

jgram2

@ericnliz I can't imagine where they're finding enough firefighters to manage the fires throughout the Western Us. And how they're dealing with the extreme heat. Yes, prayers and  thoughts go out to so many today.

2Cougs

Our hearts go out to those affected by these horrible fires!  Priest Lake was smokey but OK until Monday afternoon.  Smoke began rolling in...

@ericnliz - smart choice to cancel this weekend.

ericnliz

It's been so bad here that I was going to have a BBQ this past Labor Day weekend, and cancelled it as well.  I haven't even started the BBQ, or the Pit Barrel in about 2 weeks because of the smokey conditions. Figured I didn't want to be a contributing factor to the poor air quality. 
@2Cougs, Glad you folks had a good time, it's always fun with a group of friends!!! We're happy to hear you're back safe & sound!!!

jgram2

@ericnliz Is this similar to Mt. St. Helen's 1980 eruption for you all in Spokane (if you lived there then and can remember that far back)? DH brought home a mask yesterday and that Reminded me of traipsing around with that hideous thing plastered on my face. But at least it happened in May when it was cooler. Natural disasters do tend to remind us of both the fragility and the perseverance of life.

Michigan_Mike

Prayers for all of the crews!

ericnliz

@Twojgrams, Yes, I was here when Mt. St. Helen's erupted. My oldest son came running in the door telling me that it was snowing outside. My thought: "It's 70* outside, snow?" He was very persistent, and as we watched the gray "snow" fall, it became increasingly darker as the ash not only covered the ground, but darkened the sky to the point that it was almost dark at 1:00 PM! I spent many days helping clean up here in Spokane, not only in my own neighborhood, but at my work place as well. The smoke I am actually finding worse to cope with, as it burns your eyes, and staying outside for more than 15 minutes at a time makes it difficult to breathe. The falling ash only lasted a day, or two. This smoke has been hanging around for almost 2 weeks, and has gotten worse.
@Michigan_Mike, Thanks for sharing "The Hotshot Prayer"! Those folks are indeed unsung heroes put in very difficult, hazardous places doing amazing things to save not only lives, but animals, and property as well. We ALL should be praying for them!!! 

2Cougs

@Michigan_Mike - Amen!  Beautiful prayer.  
Please Lord, keep them safe.

Homebodyatheart

My burning eyes and aching lungs are giving me flashbacks to growing up in Southern California before smog/emissions controls were put in place. We lived at the base of the foothills and many days you couldn't see them. You'd come home from school after sports and feel just like we do right now with this smoke. We also got wildfire smoke, and sometimes I'd find whole leaves that were completely ash that had been blown into the yard. I'm not a fan of this kind of air, ever.

@Michigan_Mike thank you so much for the prayer. There is such great need in so many places, and only so many responders and resources.

Ratkity

Two powerful hurricanes and so many uncontrolled fires elsewhere (which are not really getting "press time". Safe thoughts to all. Nothing more to make you feel helpless than when nature takes over. All I can think of is my little sister with her new lungs. Almost 7 months! She is NOT allowed at any of @ericnliz's BBQs unless he has wheels on his rig and can pull it east and slightly south

Verna

I do know one of our Indiana DNR Forestry guys is in Montana fighting forest fires right now. He's in his early 30's, a very pleasant young man, born on my birthday. My prayers are for them all to go back home safely with the fires out. The campground I am Camp Hosting at is in our Yellowwood State Forest which is tiny compared to the ones out west. 

ericnliz

When a fire is powerful enough to jump the Columbia River, you've got REAL trouble on your hands. Last night, Liz showed me a Facebook posting of the fire looking from the Multnomah Falls area (Oregon side), across the Columbia River to the Washington side. Like looking in to the bowels of hell. One huge firestorm! Extremely dry terrain on both sides of the river. My first reaction when she told me it jumped the river was "No way", then she showed me the posting, and I'm quite sure my jaw hit the floor, and she said, "Yes way". Very scary stuff.

Homebodyatheart

@ericnliz it's depressing out there, too! I still not seeing or hearing many birds in trees or in flight. That's so odd!  I'm sure there are fires that they are just letting burn because they don't have the resources to fight them all. The sun this morning looks like an orange ball covered in haze. Yuck. Continued prayers for those who fight these fires, and those who are in harms way!

jgram2

The winds were only at ~20 mph when that happened-nothing for the Gorge-and embers can be carried up to 2 miles on that wind! They closed the Columbia River for boat traffic out of concerns for hazardous materials carried by some boats, and because they might need the space for air tankers to pick up water to fight the fires. I imagine the RRs were closed on both sides of the river too.

ericnliz

@Twojgrams, Thanks for the insight on the railroads being shut down. I'll have to give my oldest son a shout, as he's on the route ( he works for BNSF) that goes from Tacoma through Portland, to the Tri Cities area (Richland, Pasco, Kennewick), and back. You're probably right about them keeping the water ways open for the air tankers. We watched them in action getting water from Lake Roosevelt 2 years ago when they had the horrible fires in that area. Those folks are AWESOME pilots. 

Homebodyatheart

@ericnliz, I have a friend on Silver Lake west of town who said the water tankers fill up there for local fires, and the latest one in Medical Lake kept the planes busy filling, dumping, and refilling for quite a while.

TV screen shot... This is about 45 minutes east of us, North Idaho.


Sunrise this morning


At the far end of this road past the trees is a small mountain. Really. It's there!

creamsicle

We are heart sick.  When they had a level 1 evac for eastern metro side of Portland that is SCARY.  The winds in the Gorge are like a funnel and I'm glad to say they have turned and now the fire is turned east back on itself. Sorry eastern Oregon and Washington for the smoke but at least we get a break for awhile. 5% contained.  freeway will be closed for awhile.

Justin_in_Seattle

It's looking really post-apocalyptic around here, and outside it smells like smoke. Each morning earlier this week there was a dusting of ash on my car too. This record long dry spell in the Pacific Northwest is not helping. The sun is nothing but a pale orange ball that you can look at with your naked eyes in the daytime. Lived here for the past 21 years and don't recall ever seeing anything like it.

Seaduster

Seattle is expecting a little rain today and I've never looked so forward to rain.  I spent 3 days at Lake Easton state park (off I-90) last week and just returned from Ike Kinswa state park (in SW Washington State) yesterday.  Both areas were heavy with ash and humidity.  Happy to be home with the windows closed and a/c running today.  I left one window open when I was gone and the windowsill was layered in ash.

Homebodyatheart

Today we finally have a breeze from somewhere without smoke! Our air quality has improved to "unhealthy" from "extremely hazardous" we had most of last week. Sigh...(cough, wheeze!) I'm glad you are getting some relief!

2Cougs

@Justin_in_Seattle - we are now over 70 days with no measurable precipitation.  The only time I have seen it worse was 1980 when Mt. St. Helens erupted and ash was falling like snow in Spokane.

ericnliz

Rained for about 5 minutes yesterday. Just enough on the ground so I knew it rained. Evaporated REALLY fast. Made it pretty darn muggy to boot. Today, first time I've seen blue sky in almost two weeks. Better enjoy it while we can though. Guess the smoke is supposed to be back in Monday, or Tuesday. Personally, I'm hoping these winds die down a bit. Can't be helping those fighting the fires, although it's giving us some temporary relief from the smoke.
@2Cougs, I was here during Mt. St. Helens, and at least the ash stopped falling after a couple of days. You're right though, it looked just like gray snow. If you weren't out driving in it, at least the ash stayed on the ground. My neighborhood & work place was all pretty well cleaned up in two days because everyone rolled up their sleeves, and helped each other out. When it's still up in the atmosphere, above you, it's not possible to clean up. Although when I DO go outside for an extended period of time, I turn on the misters I installed, and turn the ceiling fan in the gazebo on to help circulate the moisture. It's the only place I can go outside to escape my eyes burning from the smoke.

gophergrad

If you want to see what's being done to protect Lake McDonald Lodge in Glacier... http://www.kpax.com/story/36327288/efforts-to-protect-lake-mcdonald-lodge-from-sprague-fire-continue

ericnliz

Good info, thanks for sharing!