We went for a drive yesterday to see the area burned in the wildfire last week. Quite by accident we happened upon the spot where it might have started. I am not a Fire Investigator..but if I was I would check this area out.
Some spots were still smoldering even though we got rain overnight.
The first area burned fast, just burning the underbrush. There was a house back in here about a quarter of a mile that escaped..how I am not sure.
That was the case all along as we drove on..especially further into the fire area..at times it was well over a mile wide. Houses with steel roofs survived..I don’t know if that is a coincidence or if by that time enough fire departments had been called in to protect structures. The Cedar Shake roofs didn’t fare so well.
In the pines the fire crowned ..some people said that the wind carried flames over a half a mile.
It smelled terrible. Well.. just like a forest fire.
We went into town and did some errands. In the stores you could tell lots of fire people/firefighters had been through..they left the smell of soot in the stores. More than 50 fire departments mostly Volunteer Fire Depts. fought the blaze. It was 80 % contained on Saturday..some hot spots were still in the area..a peat bog was burning and piles of timber..but we got rain yesterday afternoon a good soaking rain.
Some people still have those burn containers..they use old barrels to burn papers and their household garbage. To cheap to use the county dumps and too lazy to recycle. To stupid not to burn or weld on a windy day in dry spring weather.
Just for the record, I have no idea how this fire started. I have seen fires start in crazy ways..the catalytic converters in cars parked in tall grass, cars that start mysteriously on fire after they have been stolen, flaming rolls of toilet paper thrown from vehicles, little kids with matches, burn barrel fires that sent sparks elsewhere and unattended campfires, oh and one time I saw a dock start on fire during a fireworks display:(
Morning, that's really sad about the forest fire, I can imagine how bad it smelt, Francine.
ReplyDeleteSo sad about the fire. It is amazing how careless people can be and how much damage their carelessness causes.
ReplyDeletePeople are careless and we pay the consequences. I am glad the forest fire has stopped burning.
ReplyDeleteAre they trying to find out where it started or do they only do that on TV? I'm glad it's out and no more damage was done.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I love the look of a cedar shake roof, that would be my last choice in an area where there is any chance of a forest fire.
ReplyDeleteIncredible. The force of the destruction. The people willing to risk their lives to stop it. The damage. The contrast picture says a lot.
ReplyDeleteShame about the fires. But glad to hear you were both up to a drive.
ReplyDeleteYou just never know sometimes how they start. Sadly too often it isn't an act of Nature but rather an act of man. :(
ReplyDeleteControlled burning was practiced by some native Americans. Times are different now, glad it was not worse.
ReplyDeleteWild fires are always dangerous as they can do unpredictable things. Most bush fires are caused by humans by the exact things you list. Later in the season most fires here are from lightening.
ReplyDeleteOh, now don't get me going on those burn containers. They are now outlawed in our county--especially in the summer, it can get pretty dry around here--but that hasn't stopped one of our neighbors. I call them my mystery neighbors, because we can't exactly tell who it is that is letting their garbage burn and smolder all night long. But when the wind shift on a still summer night and that smell comes wafting in our open windows--well, let's just say we aren't happy campers when we wake up to that!
ReplyDeleteWildfires are really frightening, and damaging. And you're right, there are so many possible causes! It does seem that they are trying to pinpoint the cause, though.
ReplyDeleteWildfires up here are very common...and we are always concerned. In fact you can see the top of the mountain is still bare here, from a wild fire in the 50's. Despite the bans, the warnings, and the pleadings, there are still people doing backyard burning. I guess memories are short, and they don't think it will happen to them.
ReplyDeleteJen
Such a tragic fire,
ReplyDeleteWe have 1 neighbor who illegally uses a burn barrel. (and we are surrounded by woods)
Let's hope it quits being so dry.
ReplyDeleteI hope the rain helps, even though there has been more drizzle than downpours the last few days. There sure have been a lot of fires with these dry conditions. I have not been complaining about the days of rain and drizzle. Glad it wasn't any worse.
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