Living With The Threat of Wildfires…

 7:30pm – 53 degrees – scattered clouds…

A few years after we moved up here, Tony had a DNR (Department of Natural Resources) Fire Forester come out to look at our place and let us know how we would fare if a wildfire came through.  The outcome of that visit was the knowledge that we would be on our own.  We were told that ground fire crews would not be sent out due to the steepness and inaccessibility of the mountain ridge we live on.  They may send out an aircraft to drop some fire retardant on our house but that’s about it.  On the positive side, the DNR guy did say that we had a great start on the defensible space around our home and had the right to stay and protect it.  Before he left, he gave us some information on how to make the defensible space around our home even better.

If you are not sure what ‘defensible space’ means…it is an area around a structure where fuels and vegetation are treated, cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire towards the structure.  It also reduces the chance of a structure fire moving from the building to the surrounding forest.

We are very aware of the danger from wildfires, and so far, we have only been in various levels of ‘evacuation zones’ a handful of times – several times we had our rigs all packed and ready to go, and we have actually evacuated twice when the fires have gotten a little too close for comfort.

This wildfire last fall was less than two miles away from our house and we did end up evacuating.

Over the years, we have had a few wildfires that were very visible from our house.  During the day we could watch as water and fire retardant was being dropped from airplanes and helicopters, and during the night we could see the glow of the raging fire, on the next ridge line over from us.

Last night we had another scare with a fire that was about 3/4 of a mile from our house. Usually when there is a fire, or visible smoke within 5-7 miles of us, our phones blow up with calls and texts. However, yesterday it had been raining hard all day, and it was foggy with low clouds, so no one saw the smoke or fire. It wasn’t until it got dark, the rain stopped, the clouds lifted a little, and then you could see the orange glow from the burning trees.

When we first saw the hillside on the ridge across from us ablaze, and we hadn’t heard anything about it, we went with assumption that no one knew about it yet and went into evacuation mode – sent a group message to our neighbors to inform them of the fire that was in close proximity, called 911, and started packing our rigs in case we needed to leave.

Within a half hour, Tony and Jack had their fire equipment pack and went to inspect the fire, we had our rigs packed and ready to go, and another neighbor had contacted DNR. That’s when we found out that the fire had started out as a planned controlled slash burn that had gotten out of control when the wind unexpectedly picked up to 30+ mph wind gusts which caused the burning slash piles to jump to the surround trees.

Thankfully they got the fire back under control, and no structures or people were hurt. But it was still a bit of a stressful night as this has been the closest fire to our house to date.

Wildfire Defensible Space...

8:29 am - 39 degrees out - clouds are moving in...

The last several days we have had sunshine! The nice weather was needed after several weeks of rain and snow. With this gorgeous weather, we have taken full advantage and have been busy outside working.

Tony cut down some more trees to help improve our defensible space around our home. A few years back we had a DNR (Department of Natural Resources) Fire Forester guy come out to look at our place and let us know how we would fare if a wildfire came through. The outcome of that visit was the knowledge that we would be on our own. We were told that ground fire crews would not be sent out due to the steepness and inaccessibility of the mountain ridge we live on. They may send out an aircraft to drop some fire retardant on our house but that’s about it. On the positive side, the DNR guy did say that we had a great start on the defensible space around our home and had the right to stay and protect it. {Click Here} to read more about that visit.

Down came six small Alder trees and one large Douglas Fir tree, and it took us two days to get it all cleaned up... 

...well almost all cleaned up.  We still have the large rounds in the driveway that need to be cut up and split into firewood.

Even though we are tired and sore from working nonstop for the past several days to get the trees down and cleaned up... progress feels good!

Forest Fire...

6:10 am - 62 degrees - hazy...

The smell of smoke is thick in the air this morning.

As of 6 PM last night (the latest official update), the forest fire is burning in steep terrain in a remote area about 5 miles east of us and had blackened 45 acres.  The fire is neither contained nor controlled, but well-staffed considering how very stressed the areas resources are right now. Last night they had two helicopters working the fire along with 20 firefighting crews, four engines and three water tenders.  They had also started back burning certain areas.

We are hope they get some sort of handle on the fire today before the strong east winds start up later today and blow the fire even closer.

(photo source: Kris Leonard)
This was taken early mid day around the time the fire was first reported. 

This is unconfirmed, but it's from fairly reliable sources... The fire was started by a campfire.  Then a second fire was started when one of the first responders unattended truck (believed to be DNR truck) somehow rolled off an embankment.

-------------------------

Update - 4:26 pm - 90 degrees - hazy and smokey...

The fire has now burned approximately 60 acres with zero containment.  There are about 90 people working on this fire with the help of two helicopters, two bulldozers and a feller-buncher.  A brush rig and water tender have also been on scene due to the remote location.  Firefighting crews are expected to continue fighting the fire throughout this week.

(photo source: katu.com)

The fire is 5.4 miles East of us.

Mobile Wildland Fire Pump...

10:00 pm - 76 degrees - calm night...

This has been a very unusual year, weather wise.  Due to the low snowfall last winter and now the extreme hot and dry weather we have been getting, we are now faced with an incredibly high fire danger season.

For the past week, Tony has been running around town finding parts to put together a mobile wildland fire pump system... and we finally got to test it out!  Very impressive!

Full power stream shoots about 102 feet.

We would rather be prepared for the worst, while hoping for the best.

{P.S. - I will do a more in depth post with more pictures once he's finished putting it all together.}

More Clean-Up...

9:42 am - 35 degrees - snowing (but not sticking)...

There are so many projects going on right now and even more that need to be done.  This life style is definitely not for the lazy.  Even with a solid daily effort, there always seems to be three more things that need to be done on top of the handful of things we want to do.

One of the things we’re (I really mean Tony – I’m just around on this one for ideas and support) working on is the clearing of the defensible space {click here} around our house which works its way into the pond area {click here} and the new driveway / extra parking area.

The defensible space and pond area are pretty high on our priority list.  We had a very dry winter compared to previous years and the rainfall for this year is already way down.  We’re thinking the fire danger for this year is going to be fairly high and start earlier than usual.  In this case, we would rather be safe than sorry.

While Tony has been clearing the defensible space and pond area, we’ve been talking about reworking the driveway.  We’ve been talking about this for several years now and we think we have finally decided on the general area.  This project is going to be a major undertaking.  There will be a lot of dirt to be moved and a lot of base and top rock to be purchased.  {More posts on the driveway to come.}

In the meantime, this area needs to be cleared.  Large trees that are within falling distance of the house are being cut down, limbed, and placed into a “staging area” just to get them out of the way.  The underbrush needs to be cleared out and burned along with the stumps and limbs from the trees.  This is the phase that we are currently in. 

 

When all the clearing is done, then the dirt work will begin to make everything look pretty again.

Where Did Spring Go...

8:54 am - 33 degrees - scattered clouds, windy, 1" of new snow...

Yesterday the wind stopped long enough for Tony to go out and cut down a few more trees.  {click here}

Tony's making the face cut.

It's coming down...timber!

Doing a quick walk down the felled tree
 to get an approximate length.

And this morning we woke up to an inch of new snow.  I actually thought (and was hoping) that the snow was done for this year.  The last of our snow had all finally melted away a little over two weeks ago, but now it's back.

Can You Please Make Me A Pond...

9:26 am - 38 degrees - overcast and windy...

...“Sure!” says the awesome hubby.

Even though we live on a mountain ridge we have a lot of water up here.  It just amazes me how much ground water and how many natural springs there are.  So to direct the flow of all this water, Tony has put several drainage ditches in.  Now where to direct all this drainage water...why into a pond of course!

Several months ago Tony started clearing a trail to the river {click here}.  The new trail skirts a rather large area that is wet and marshy year round - so this is going to be the location of our new pond.  So the clearing has started...

 

BEFORE

AFTER

The excavator is sitting where the pond is going to go.

Once the pond is done it will have many benefits like water for the wildlife, personal enjoyment, and a water source for wildfire suppression {click here}.

Timber...

2:17 pm - 53 degrees - gorgeous warm winter day...

Back in August Tony had a DNR (Department of Natural Resources) Fire Forester guy come out to look at our place and let us know how we would fare if a wildfire came through.  {click here}  Before he left he gave us a bunch of information on how to make the defensible space around our home even better.

Going through all the paperwork he gave us, a little extra research online, and talking about what we still needed to do around our house, we decided to apply for a permit to clear a dozen or so trees and underbrush.  After numerous phone calls and emails, five months later we have a wood permit in hand.  This will give us our ideal defensible space around our home (and an extra bonus of more sunlight in the winter months).

So in addition to finishing up the screenings (yes we’re still working on that) {click here}, Tony has now started to fall a few trees.
  

 

 

 

Tony's using his Stihl with the 32" bar

 

 

Wildfire Defensible Space...

75 degrees - 4:28 pm - blue sky with scattered clouds...

Along with the dry summer weather, brings an increased danger from wildfires.  That is something we are very aware of and hope we never have to deal with. 

Several years ago we had a few wildfires that were very visible from our house.  During the day we could watch as water and fire retardant were being dropped from airplanes and helicopters.  During the night we could see the glow of the raging fire, which was on the next ridge line across from us.

A few weeks ago Tony had a DNR (Department of Natural Resources) Fire Forester guy come out to look at our place and let us know how we would fare if a wildfire came through.  The outcome of that visit was the knowledge that we would be on our own.  We were told that ground fire crews would not be sent out due to the steepness and inaccessibility of the mountain ridge we live on.  They may send out an aircraft to drop some fire retardant on our house but that’s about it.  On the positive side, the DNR guy did say that we have a great start on the defensible space around our home and had the right to stay and protect it.  Before he left he gave us a bunch of information on how to make the defensible space around our home even better.

If you are not sure what ‘defensible space’ means...it is an area around a structure where fuels and vegetation are treated, cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire towards the structure.  It also reduces the chance of a structure fire moving from the building to the surrounding forest.

Defensible space survivor (Source: napafirewise.org)

(Source: napafirewise.org)

In addition to making sure we have a good defensible space, we also need to create our own Wildfire Action Plan.  This is so our whole family will know escape routes, communication plans, emergency meeting location, emergency contacts, etc.  Here are a few good examples of Wildfire Action Plans...

Get Set! {click here}

As The Fire Approaches {click here}

Outside Checklist {click here}

Inside Checklist & If Trapped Checklist {click here}

Personal Wildfire Action Plan {click here}

After the visit from the DNR Fire Forester guy, going thru all the paperwork he gave us, a little extra research online, and talking about what we still need to do around here to improve our defensible space...I’m learning very quickly that fire is a very capricious thing.  It can find the weak link in your home’s fire protection scheme and gain the upper hand because of a small overlooked or seemingly inconsequential factor.  While we may not be able to accomplish all fire safe measures, each will increase our home’s, and possibly our family’s, safety and survival during a wildfire.

Yes, of course I know a wildfire or any home fire for that matter is bad.  But I think most people have the attitude of “it will never happen to me”, I know I do.  Which is why we are trying to change and have a FIRESAFE attitude.  We have started off with the easiest and least expensive actions.  Beginning our work closest to our house and we’re moving outward.  We are continuing to work on the more difficult items until we have completed them and can mark them off of the to-do-list.  To see a Wildland Fire Suppression Kit (this is on our to-do-list) that our friend made {click here}. 

While fire insurance might replace property destroyed in a fire, there is no insurance available to replace human life.

Stumps Be Gone...

44 degrees outside - 9: 37 pm - we have been rain free for almost 24 hours...

Tonight during Caitlyn’s ballet class she lost her first tooth and boy was she excited!  For me it was one of those aha moments.  As I watched Caitlyn proudly showing off her tooth, I realized once again how fast they grow up and that my baby girl isn’t a baby anymore.  I have to admit that underneath my smiles I was a little sad, yet at the same time excited for this important childhood moment of the first lost tooth.

While Caitlyn and I were at her ballet class, Tony and Jack were home in the excavator working on stump removal.  When we first looked at this property back in 2005, we really had to use our imaginations because the property was a solid wall of brush, trees and stumps.  After many long hours of clearing away all the Salmon Berry, Vine Maple and Alder it uncovered dozens of old growth snags and stumps left over from the Yacolt Burn of 1902, which was the largest forest fire in recorded Washington state history.

 

our driveway - before and after



 

Even though these stumps and snags have been dead for over 100 years most are still solid wood.  This makes for an extremely difficult removal.  After many hours of excavator and dozer time we finally hd a clearing large enough for a build site and a buffer zone for any potential forest fires.  Years later we are still finishing up the removal of the last of the stumps.

 

 

one of the snags that we are keeping just because it would be
extreamly hard to remove it and it looks kind of neat

another neat lookin snag that we are keeping