Smoke Break

Cheryl's News from Camp Webegone

Today is very smoky, and it just has not cleared at any point during the day. 

Smoky

For a breath of fresh air, Rich and I went to the library in town. It's a great relief to get out of the endless smoke.

I've mentioned the Crescent Ridge fire a couple of times. Well, currently the smoke in our camp is from the Stouts fire, which is about 40 miles away from us. The Crescent Ridge fire - about 20 miles away - is now 40% contained. Which is nice to hear, but - smoke, smoke, and more smoke. It's ghastly.

Here's a map that shows the Crescent Ridge fire as it has progressed from its beginnings on August 1. 

 

Crescent Ridge Fire

The blue marks were added by me, and they show the birthday hike path to Boundary Springs that Rich and I took back on August 6. We look forward to hiking the area again next year and see what changes the fire created. 

But for now, we hide out in our library sanctuary. Blessed relief.

Cheryl

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

Fire Update, or Is That Smoke?

View from Prospect

August 11, 2015

The fires are still burning. But we are safe here, with no evacuation planned. Not true of Diamond Lake - they are on notice to plan for evacuation, and only campers with reservations are being allowed into the area.

Last Thursday Rich and I hiked to Boundary Springs, this origin, at least groundwise, of the Rogue River. Today, that area is now closed to hikers.

We were handed a fire map yesterday. What you are looking at: The pink area is the area affected by the Crescent Ridge fire. The red trails are the ones that have been closed to hikers.

For us, it is not the fire, but the smoke. Rich and I deal with smoke off and on during each day. My sinuses suffer the most. Daily I have either sinus headache or headache bordering on migraine. Ibuprofen is becoming a daily staple.

Fire Map

Cheryl

PS: If interested, here is a link for Crescent Ridge fire updates -
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4463