Crescent Ridge Fire Update

Weather Update from Camp Webegone

9 August - 27 August
 

High: 91.0
Low: 45.5
Humidity: 27%-79%
Rain: Zip

Cheryl's News from Camp Webegone

August 21, 2015

Well, today is the clearest, smoke free day Rich and I have had in about a month. What a relief!

Fires

Yesterday we traveled up to Crater Lake so that we could view the Crescent Ridge Fire. The cinder cone in the picture is called Red Cone. Thanks to all this, we have been learning lots of fire lingo and information. (More than we ever really want to know.)

The Crescent Ridge fire in its infancy was about 30 acres. Today it is over eight thousand acres. So, how come the fire got so large? How come the fire fighters have not been able to contain the fire? 

Well, those are a deep questions, and the answers involve the philosophy of the National Park Service on whose property the fire is burning. Since the fire was started by lightening, the National Park Service philosophy is that the fire is a natural process that should be left to burn undeterred - as long as the fire is not threatening any homes. That means no dropping of flame retardant, no dropping of water, no bulldozing a wide fire line. The fire fighters can only hand-dig a ditch line around a perimeter in an effort to contain the blaze. Hence the growth of the fire from 30 to eight thousand acres.

The tourist industry in the area has been impacted too. When Rich and I were at Crater Lake, the parking lots were about 1/8^th full. Usually at this time of year, you are lucky to fine a spot. Lunch at Beckies Restaurant Wednesday, we were one of four tables being served. Again, you usually have to wait in line for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The ice cream shop is now closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Rich and I will be doing our small part to help, and we plan to eat at Beckies one time a week until we leave.

There are some positive aspects. The lodge pole pine tree (the predominant tree in the fire area), their pine cones only open up and drop their seeds under extreme heat or when exposed to a fire. Such is the variety of nature. 

And we have seen some spectacular sunsets and a few reddish sunrises.

Sunset

Cheryl