sweasel.com

I did a Google for USA what fire. Turns out a huge one started in Oregon 5 days ago, and it’s not fully contained yet. Burned over 80 square miles – that’s wheat and grass combined. There are other smaller fires there as well – ignited via lightning probably.

Making it more painful, this year’s crop was reportedly especially bountiful, and it would have been ready to harvest in just 10 more days.

I lived in KS for 20 years. Fires of unharvested fields are rare. Even in a state with dry summers and a helluva lot of summer storms/lightning. Once the fields are harvested the farmers frequently burn the stubble and there were lots of instances of controlled burns becoming uncontrolled. The smoke and flames actually can create their own weather Microsystem on the hot, semi-arid plaines.

Our fires in Colorado are of the forest variety. Northwest of us we had the Weston Pass Fire [14,000+ acres closing a US Highway and threatening towns], South of us we have, repeat have, the Spring Creek Fire [110,000 acres closing a US Highway and threatening several towns], In the SW corner of the state we have 4 fires, the largest of which is the 416 Fire which is 55,000 acres and has been burning since June 1, due North of us was the Chateau Fire, which was about 30,000 acres. There are about a half dozen other fires in the north part of the state, which I am not tracking actively. The Chateau Fire was started by several teenagers who did not think a State and Federal Stage II fire ban applied to them. The Spring Creek Fire was started by an illegal invader who may not be tightly wrapped. Teenagers and invader in custody. The rest were started by summer lightning in the mountains. Oh, and a couple of weeks ago we had a small forest fire of about 40-50 acres about 3 miles as the crow flies from my house, but the local FD got it under control in 24 hours.

I scoff in the general direction of your 60 acres on flat ground, with road access and flowing watercourses not far away. I have been ready to put up friends and family as needed all summer.

Fortunately, none of ours has lost their home. A lot of people have.

Being of an untrusting nature, I have (since my yoot) suspected that many of these fires are started by people.
Whether by campers not drowning their fires, “carelessly discarded cigarettes.” (Could it be carelessly discarded magnifying glasses?)

Of course the fires would *never* be caused intentionally by illegals, hippies, bums, or other types of crooks, or by people who just want to see things burn. We’re not allowed to think that.

Addendum: 80 sq mi (the burn area of the largest of fires in OR as of 5 days ago) is 51,200 acres.

OldFert
June 11, 2013. The entire state of Colorado was cloud free, albeit windy. Within 45 minutes fires started in the Black Forest area north of Colorado Springs, the Royal Gorge Area west of Canon City, in a prairie field on the east side of Pueblo, and in the mountains near La Veta. In Fremont [Royal Gorge] and El Paso [Black Forest] Counties, I know the Sheriff’s Offices located the points of origin to within 10 feet. The SO’s were forbidden by Federal authorities to discuss it.

I just happen to have, about a foot to the left of where I sit, a looseleaf binder with a xeroxed copy of an Al Quada tradecraft manual that was posted online over a decade ago. The mention in it of starting wildfires as a tactic is purely coincidental, I’m sure.

Subotai Bahadur
Obviously it was lightning. Y’know, that clear-sky lightning is pretty sneaky.

I didn’t intend to diminish the awfulness of a nearby 60 acres up in flames. Myself, I’d be on ultra high alert, go-bags by the door, and car gas tank filled, ready to bolt. Heck, a dozen times every fall and winter, I stalk through and around the house sniffing the air, just to verify for myself the burning I smell is *only* from neighbors burning leaves and other yard waste or fireplace wood. I tell myself it’s a healthy fear. Yeah, that’s the ticket.

This should have been on the ‘plane’ thread – but…Mary Ellis, last of the “Spitfire Girls” died on Tuesday at the age of 101.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-44962253

RIP Mary –
“Though you Fly Through the Valley of Death you should Fear No Evil For you are at 20,000 feet and Climbing.”

DurnedYankee: Plus, she has 4 20mm Hispanos in her wings!

The English Fire Brigades don’t have brush trucks?

I know I’m way late to the party but I’ve seen a wheat fire here in the midwest, scary it was.

On a personal note, we had a brush fire escape into a field of corn stubble one spring. It was far from water so we kept driving buckets back in the pick-up. The wind was just enough to keep it advancing. Used all the household extinguishers too. Spread over a couple of acres by the time it was done.