California Fires and other hazards!

[Siskiyou]

The outbreak of large lightning fires in California may have a negative effect on some hunting zones.  A, B, and X zones are currently impacted.  Fire fighting resources are limited.  Priority fires are those that are threatening improvements and they are receiving the manpower, air power and equipment.  New starts are being spotted every day from last week’s thunderstorm. 

At times I enjoy tracking storms on weather radar.  A week ago I was watching a very hot thunderstorm moving up out of Nevada into California.  The number of down strikes looked like somebody patterning a 12 guage with number 9’s.  I made a joke that if somebody was out fishing on Lake Tahoe the fish would be cooked before they got it in.  Poor joke, two young men were found dead a day later along the shoreline.  In the past I was almost caught on a high rocky peak during a thunderstorm.  As much as I wanted to stay on that peak, I beat feet down slope about a mile to my pickup.  For the next hour I set in my truck watching lightning pound the rocky peak.  A wiser person would have moved down the road to a lower elevation.

Currently the fires most threatening to the up coming deer season are on the Los Padres N.F., the Mendocino N.F, the Shasta-Trinity N.F., and the Klamath N.F.  Campfire restrictions have gone into effect on a number of National Forest and the State has implemented some restrictions.  An adult and two teenagers were arrested when their playing with fire threaten the community of Yreka, CA.  The adult is currently out on bail and the juveniles are house in juvenile hall.

Another threat to hunters is the Mexican Marijuana grows.  I have not heard of any progress in the execution type murders in the Mexican grow in Mendocino County.  In Nevada County officers raided another Mexican grow and recovered over 4,000 plants, a .22 rifle, and two pellet guns.  No arrest was made.  This garden was on the Tahoe National Forest.  Hunters need to use caution State wide when hunting.  The opening of Deer season and the peak harvest period of marijuana occur about the same time.

A good rain in mid September would reduce the fire hazard, and having the dopers pulling their crop before the mold sets in.  Pray for rain.  It is hard to forget the little boy and his father who were shot by a Mexican doper in El Dorado County a few years ago.  They were out hunting on family owned land.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/documents/le_i/06_jul_25_fire_restrictions.htm
Tahoe N.F.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/currentconditions/index.shtml
Mendocino N.F.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/currentconditions/

I checked the Shasta-Trinity and Klamath N.F WebPages as of 10:44, July 28th, 2006 and could not find any restrictions other then the normal rules requiring a campfire permit and the rules that apply to building, maintaining, and extinguishing a campfire.

[lewdogg21]

You have a link to the El Dorado Country shootings?  I deer hunt in D4 & D5 including private land adjacent to national forest and timber company land. 

[Siskiyou]

I made a quick check of fire restrictions for Eldorado and it appears that a campfire permit is required.  Here is a link I grabbed off their webpage.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado/

I bet this will change before the rifle season opens.

I wonder what the blistering heat in that part of the state is going to do to the deer herd.  The heat is killing cows so fast they cannot bury them fast enough. 

A little followup on the fires burning on the Shasta-Trinity and the Klamath NF.  And at Orleans on the Six Rivers National Forest.  From a historic standpoint these some of these fires will grow and be around when deer season opens.

[Siskiyou]

The lightning fires in the Marble Mt. Wilderness area and the Trinity Alps Wilderness area continue to grow.  A number of small fires have been extinguished.  The Caribou Complex which was herded around for a time is now laying down.  A major wind event could get it back into gear.  These three fires along with the Hunter fire (Hunter Ridge) on the Mendocino NF are impacting some key hunting areas.  The fires in the wilderness areas will have an impact of some outfitter-guide operations.  The Uncles/Rush fire in the Marble Mt. Wilderness containment date is predicted around 10/1/2006.  A lot can happen in the next couple of months.

When I head out for buck season I will have a number of plans in the box.  One hunting partner is concerned that a good Southwest wind could mess some plans up.  Time will tell.

When it comes to resources these fires will be the first to suffer shortages.  Currently there is a shortage of resources because other wildfires are threatening communities and other improvements.   

The double edge sword is that the burns should create good deer habitat in the future.

Hopefully these fires let up and the air is clear for deer season.  More dry lightning is expected for the end of the week in some parts of Northern California.  I know that when I setup camp I will be monitoring my NOAA radio, and the news.  A long 4x4 road is the route I take into camp.  If there is nearby fire activity I will go to another area.  I do not want to get trapped in there.  While many expect the government to save them, hopefully I will be independent and avoid known risk.

[Siskiyou]

Some good news is that there are many areas in the Marble Mt. Wilderness that are not impacted by the fires.  One or more guides are still packing people into the Wilderness.  The guides that I have met in the pass that pack into this area are responsible people.  I was told that one of the "noted" guides is still packing in the public.  When fires get nasty he contracts to pack for the government.  I am sure that guides who pack into other parts of the Marbles are still continueing on,with their heads up. 

According to reports the inversion laying is trapping smoke in the canyons.  The positive effect is that it is slowing down the spread of the fires.  The negative effect is that the fires are hide under a layer of smoke and cannot be seen from the air. If the inversion layer lifts the fires could roll on. 

http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/articles/2006/08/02/news/doc44d113c1377a3542994384.txt

[Siskiyou]

Looks like the fires in the wilderness are continueing to grow.  At this point it looks like those hard to draw Marble Mtn. Wilderness elk tags could be at risk.  Of course deer hunters can have their trip spoiled at the sametime.  As we get into the fall strong winds can push those fires all over the place or we can get a good storm in late September and knock the fires down. 

Yreka, CA (August 2, 2006) - To ensure public safety during fire suppression activities on the Titus Fire and Uncles Fire Complex, the Forest Supervisor of the Klamath National Forest has implemented a temporary closure of the Marble Mountains Wilderness, and certain roads and campgrounds outside the wilderness boundary.

The closures will be begin Wednesday, August 2, 2006, and will be in effect until the wildfires in the area are fully suppressed.

"We did not enter into this decision lightly," said Peg Boland, Forest Supervisor for the Klamath National Forest. "We have three large fires, along with a few smaller fires burning in the Marble Mountain Wilderness. It has gotten to a point where we could not guarantee the safety of the Wilderness visitor."

The closure will protect the public from the numerous fires that are actively burning in the Uncles Complex and Happy Camp Complex. The campgrounds included in this closure are being used by fire crews, and may be threatened by wildfire in the future.

The road closures are in an area potentially threatened by the Titus Fire, and are being used by vehicles and equipment assigned to the Happy Camp Complex.

The closures include:

All lands located within the Marble Mountain Wilderness
The following Forest System Roads
15N17Y from its intersection with the private road in Township 15 North, Range 7 East, Section 29, Humboldt Meridian, to its intersection with 15N10.
15N10 from its intersection with 15N17Y, to its intersection with 16N05
15N08 from 200 feet below its intersection with 16N05 to its termination at Norcross Campground.
Sulphur Springs Campground and Norcross Campground.
"We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause," said Boland. "But as the fire season intensified, we felt we had no other choice."

For more information about the closure or for other ideas of where to hike and camp contact the Klamath National Forest at 530-842-6131, or check out our website at: www.fs.fed.us/r5/klamath.

Please see the attached pdf files for locations of effected areas:
Exhibit A- Marble Mountain Wilderness (pdf 312kb)
Exhibit B-Road and campground closures (pdf 347kb)

Fires close trails in the Trinity Alps Wilderness
WEAVERVILLE, Calif. (July 28) – The Bar Complex, north and northwest of Weavervile, Calif., in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, has prompted Forest Service officials to close roads and trails.

Forest Service Road 401 (Canyon Creek Road) north of Powerhouse Road is closed to all traffic, with the exception of residents and emergency vehicles.

“The closure is necessary to reduce congestion and to provide for safe driving,” said Shasta-Trinity National forest Spokesman Mike Odle. “There is an increase in emergency traffic and the road is windy and narrow with limited turnouts.”

The following trails are closed until further notice:

Caribou Lake Trail (9W18)
Old Caribou Lake Trail (9W02)
Little South Fork Trail (11W34)
East Fork Trail (12W08)
New River Trail (7E05)
Slide Creek Trail (12W03)
Immigrant Creek Trail (8E05)
East Fork Trail (12W08)
Poney Creek Trail (12W07)
Jim Jam Ridge Trail (12W11)
Semore Gulch Trail (8E08)
Canyon Creek Trail (10W08)
Bear Creak Trails (10W06)

Additionally, the Ripstein Campground is closed.

Shasta-Trinity NF areas closed.

The Bar Complex is comprised of four fires; the Bake Fire (724 acres), the Oven Fire (137 acres), the Little Fire (213 acres) and the Martin Fire (3.5 acres). The total size of the Bar Complex is 1,078 acres.

There are currently 293 personnel assigned to the Bar Complex.

For more information about the closures, contact the Weaverville Ranger Station at (530) 623-2121

[Siskiyou]

  The Northern California fire news is not good.  The following is a quote from the Happy Complex on the Klamath River>

"A contract helicopter assigned to the Happy Camp Complex wildfire crashed into the Klamath River approximately 10 miles south of Happy Camp around 7:45 p.m Friday. Two pilots aboard the helicopter did not survive the crash. The accident site has been secured and an investigation is ongoing."

My condolences to the families.

The Klamath and Salman River Drainages have become choked with smoke under the inversion layer.  There are health concerns for the citizens that live in those areas and the fire fighters.  Even when off shift the fire fighters cannot escape the smoke which is boxing in their camp.  Choke!  Distance valleys are starting to fill valleys many miles from the fires.  Red sunsets and moon rises are becoming common.

The weather forecast calls for thunder storms in the Serria's this weekend.  Last night the news said that Yoemite to the South recieved over 300 lightning strikes in an evening thunderstorm.  No reports at this time on new fires.  I am sure that most of those strikes just hit rock.  A small percentage start fires.

My research shows there are a number of fires burning in other Western States.  These may or may not have an impacted on your up coming hunting season. 

[IntrepidWizard]

Tuolumne and Calvarez counties are not much better off as we smell smoke each morning coming out of the Immegrant basin and Yo Semite and the Stanislaus forest.Lot of double fauns though.

[lewdogg21]

Tuolumne and Calvarez counties are not much better off as we smell smoke each morning coming out of the Immegrant basin and Yo Semite and the Stanislaus forest.Lot of double fauns though.

Are either of these near Northern Kennedy Meadows and Kennedy Lake?  I'm supposed to be up there next weekend to hike in and camp out at Kennedy lake. It pisses me off b/c I see zero coverage of the fires this year on the local TV (KCRA) news unless its "threatening homes".  Last week they led with a story on a total 6 acre fire in Rio Linda..... If you know Rio Linda it wouldn't be a bad thing if a few meth labs burned down.

[IntrepidWizard]

Kennedy Meadows and lake are ok so far.H. Randolph Holder bought out 4 local radio stations and made a deal with KCRA channel three that they KVML report the weather news in Calvarez and Tuolumne co.I was a weather watcher for 37 years and they will not report road closures or weather or crime on KCRA it has to go to KVML or its associate radio stations.

[Siskiyou]

The California Air Resources board is issuing health warnings for the heaviest smoke impacted areas in Northern California.  This is the result of the large fires burning in remote locations.  The rough area is around Orleans, the Klamath River drainage, Salmon River drainage, New River, and the Trinity River.  There maybe some smoke issues over around our old friend Lawdog stomping ground North of Covelo.  The Hunter Fire is burning on Hunter Ridge.

The fires impact the Northern “A” Zone, and most of the “B” Zones.  The least impacted “B” zone would be “B4” in which the archery season started last week.  Archery starts in the other “B” Zones on August 19, 2006.

You can check out this link for health warnings caused by the smoke.  Residence, fire fighters and others that are exposed to the trap smoke in the canyons will have above normal carbon monoxide in their blood.  It may take a week or more to shake of the effect of this bad air.

http://gacc.nifc.gov/oncc/predictive/weather/airquality.html

“Significant Events: Increasingly active fire activity throughout the day on the uncontained Somes Fire, advancing downhill NE, SE into the Salmon River drainages and to the West into the Klamath River drainage with slower backing expansion on the western downhill edge, short up hill runs in Pearch Creek drainage. There continues to be a significant amount of burning debris rolling and falling onto CA 96 causing traffic concerns and delays. Fire is established in the Whitmore Creek, Ikes Creek, Somes Creek, Butler Creek and Pearch Creek drainages and has reached the bottom of the Pearch Creek and Whitmore Creek drainages. The fire in the Whitmore Creek Drainage has reached highway 96 resulting in occasional temporary closure of the highway at times. Interior uphill runs with occasional shorts runs of crowning is increasing in intensity. These runs are bieng moderated with helo bucket work. Large indirect line construction has been completed on the Hammel/Lewis Ridge Trail for the future blacklining and burnout operations. Application of "Barricade Gel II" to test applicability using aerial application to heavy canopy cover in this terrain began 8-2-06. Operations will evaluate the effectiveness of the Gel. The incident has recieved 3 of it's ordered "Uni-Engine" 1000 gallon suppression modules for remote areas of the fire.”

Note:  The Uni-Engine was designed, built, and leased by an old childhood friend.  The Uni-Engine is lifted into the back Country by a large helicopter.  The helicopter then fills the tank from its bucket.  This allows crews to lay hose lines in remote areas where fire engines cannot go, and to far from streams that portable pumps can pump from.  What a way to scout for deer, elk, and bear.  I am sure the yellow jackets and bald hornets are being a pain.  And Mr. Rattler is making his presence known.

[Siskiyou]

Idaho Fire activity, there are fires in other Western States.  It is unknown by this writer what impact it will have on hunting.  Having been in the Yellow Pine area before I can appriciate  that chunk of mother nature.

Again history repeats itself and a helicopter went down with a fire crew on board.  My hat is off to these people and their families.  http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060814/NEWS01/60814020




I copied the following off the net.

"South Fork Complex ID-PAF-006068 Type: WF Start: 08/08/2006 1500 Cause: L Priority:
Overhead Team Name: Tom Suwyn Type: 2 Local: 2 GACC: 2
Size:
7,281 ACRES % Cnt/MMA:
0 % Est Contain:
NR Latitude:
44° 55´ 0" Longitude:
115° 49´ 0"
 
Location: 13 miles east of McCall, Idaho $$ Costs to Date: $1,408,867
 
Structures Threatened: NONE Structures Destroyed: NONE

 
Significant Events: Closure of Lick Creek and South Fork Salmon River roads is in effect. IMT has assumed management responsibility of Placer and Big Creek fires as well as Initial Attack on the Krassel Ranger District in support of the Payette National Forest. Staffed fires (Vanmeter, Bishop) continue line construction and structure protection. Crews and engines are working to hold fires west of the South Fork of Salmon River.
Remarks: Although fires are increasing in size no additional acres will be reported until inversion lifts and perimeters can be mapped or an infared flight is complete and interpreted.

Observed Fire Behavior: Fire activity increased to high in afternoon after inversion lifted with group torching and short crown runs. Fires continue to back down to river bottoms and are burning together.

Planned Actions: Continue support of PNF in management of Placer and Big Creek fires and IA for Krassel RD and structure protection at Krassel Work Center. Continue structure protection at Yellow Pine and line construction on Vanmeter and Cougar fires. Continue to prioritize unstaffed fires and assign resources as they become available."

A couple of years ago my brother related a conversation with a hunter who goes to Idaho every year.  The hunter who had not taken advantage of the internet to check on conditions there ran into problems.  Conditions change every year and you are not going to find the same condition in 2006 as you found int 1996.  State, and Federal agencies maintain websites, check them out. Normally you will find phone numbers listed for these agencys.  People will spend hundreds of dollars on a trip, but are to cheap to pickup the telephone and make calls.  They would rather cry, then plan ahead.  Not only will you learn about current road, and trail conditions, but about fires, and planned controlled burns.  Land management agencys control a lot of acres every year.  I found great information regarding this burning put out by the State of Idaho, along with the Forest Service and BLM.  They need to burn Alder patchs under rather hot conditions.  It maybe rather shocking to the un-educated but it benfits the Alders and the wildlife dependant on the Alders.  Frankly I was unaware of this, but after hearing the belly aching I did a little research.  So there maybe benefits so belly aching, just do not look like a old fool.
 

[crow_feather]

In Idaho there is a saying, IF YOU DON"T LIKE THE WEATHER, WAIT AN HOUR - IT WILL CHANGE.  It is more true than not.

C F

[Siskiyou]

Some good news for the Marble Mountain Wilderness Area hunters.  Much of the area has been reopened. 

Newsroom - Marble Mountain Wilderness Reopens - Some Trails and Areas Adjacent to Fires Remain Closed
Contact: Public Affairs Office
(530) 841-4485
 
For immediate release.
Yreka, CA (August 15, 2006) - Hikers, hunters, and other visitors to the Klamath National Forest will be happy to learn that most of the Marble Mountain Wilderness is open again, including the entire length of the Pacific Coast Trail within the wilderness boundary. The exceptions to this are areas and trails adjacent to three large wildland fires that continue to burn, mostly within the wilderness boundary.
Near the Titus Fire, part of the Happy Camp Complex, burning in the northwest corner of the wilderness, the following closures are in effect:
·   That area of the Marble Mountain Wilderness west of the Pacific Crest Trail, # 2000, within the boundary of the Happy Camp Ranger District.
·   The following Forest System Roads:
o   15N17Y from its intersection with the private road in Township 15 North, Range 7 East, Section 29, Humboldt Meridian, to its intersection with 15N10.
o   15N10 from its intersection with 15N17Y, to its intersection with 16N05
o   16N05 from 200 feet below its intersection with 15N08 to its termination at Norcross Campground.
·   Sulphur Springs Campground and Norcross Campground.
Closures associated with the Hancock Fire and Uncles Fire, part of the Uncles Complex, include the following trails:
·   North Fork Salmon Trail, #11W26.2
·   Big Meadows Trail, #12W18
·   Wooley Creek Trail, #11W51
·   Bug Gulch Trail, #11W25
These closures will remain in place until the fires are fully suppressed.

[Siskiyou]

I am always bothered when I pickup the newspaper and read about forest fires that are attributed to hunting actives.  Joe Dumb-Dumb shooting tracers, or an escape campfire is attributed to hunters make headlines.  The Anti-Hunting groups use these as weapons against hunters.  It is not uncommon for me to stop and put out an abandon campfire during the hunting season.  Normally a load of trash is associated with the camp.  Idiots in the woods are not are friends.

My camp normally does not have a campfire.  I use a gas stove and propane heater.  I anchor the heater so it does not get knocked over.  A couple seasons back my camp was hit with 40 mph winds and during the night I heard a large snag hit the ground a couple hundreds yards from my camp.  Even with freezing temperatures the high winds can re-kindle a smoldering campfire. 

I get up to my campsite on an old un-maintained logging road.  Four-wheel drive is needed in a couple of places.  The trip down the mountain calls for low range 4x4 so that I do not smoke my brakes, and tear up the tires on rocks in the old roadway.  If a fire starts at the base of the mountain I am trapped, there are not other roads off the mountain.  If there is a running fire my plan is to park the pickup in an old logging landing and go out into a large meadow with a number of springs in it.  My rifle, daypack, and shovel will go with me.  I can clear a spot in the grass next to the water and safely set out a fire.  Hypothermia is a risk if one decided to set out a fire in a cooled mountain stream or lake.

I credit my Dad and his hunting partner for many of my self impose rules.  They always carried milk cans of water, a shove & axe even when not camping when going hunting.  There were times we had a large campfire in a cleared area.  We would put out our canvas bedrolls around the fire at night and I would hope that Dad would get up first to toss some wood on the fire to get it going in the morning.  When it came time to break camp we would break up the fire ring because there was hot coals in the rocks, and we wanted to leave a clean campsite, not a junkie looking site in the woods.

A few links to Northern California Forest Fire restrictions.  You also need to check on trail closers into the Marble Mountain Wilderness, and the Trinity Alps.  The large fires will be impacted the areas for the next two or three months.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity/news/2006/releases/043-july24-fire-restrictions.shtm


Klamath National Forest
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/klamath/news/2006/08/restrictions.shtml

You can find other links on the net.

Nevada has been hit big time by wild fires.  The State is going to issue around 300 antelope permits to reduce herd size and more a similar number to unburned areas.  The Rocky Mountain N.P. could take a hint and let hunters do their elk herd reduction.

Montana and other Western States have been hit with a record fire season.  Many of these fires will not be out until after snow flies.

[Siskiyou]

Trinity Alps Wilderness Trail Condition Report Emergency Area Closure

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/announcements/article/357/3278/

From the link you can view a map showing the fire has burned from Hwy. 299 across the Trinity Alps into the Salmon River drainage of the Klamath National Forest.  Hopefully the rain will slow things down this week.  It appears this will not be a major storm.  So restrictions on using certain areas may continue the entire deer season.

Word is that more then one local group of hunters were surprised to find they could not get up into the Trinity Alps because of the fires. 

 I told my brother who will be camping at high elevation in an “X” zone next week to take extra fuel for his Coleman Stove.  He might be using it for heat.

[Siskiyou]

The fires are still burning in the Trinity Alps and the Marble Mtn. Wilderness area.  Last week I watch the smoke column build on the Hancock Fire which made a small run that added another 400 acres.  A couple of days later the smoke effected an early morning hunt we made.  Later in the day we popped into the Salmon River Country.  We did not stay long.  The smoke was hanging in from the bottom of the canyon to the top of the drainages.  I Expect the critters are starting to develope a cough. 

I cannot see how the locals have lived in the Salmon River this summer and fall.  If there are no major changes this could continue into mid November.