Blow Up! Fire Season 2020 Update from the Front Lines

[DemoTex]

The Bear Creek Fire near Dillon, Montana, puts up a huge (hugh!) pyrocumulus cloud a few days ago. The Muldoon Fire burns to my southeast. The next fire in this area really should be named the Toody Fire (you have to be really old to get that one!). Car-54, where the hell are you?

Today, the visibility here at my 10,000-foot fire lookout perch is restricted due to drift smoke from all the fires. Tomorrow, we go back on Red Flag Warning for high winds and dry lightning. I am on day three of a ten day shift, which might be extended to twelve or thirteen.

I hear tankers overhead returning to Missoula after dropping on the Muldoon Fire (it's almost what they call "pumpkin time" - too dark to fly). LAT tankers (MD-80s, BAe-146s, etc), helos, SEATs, and FireBoss waterscoopers come from the Idaho and Montana bases that are legendary names in wildland firefighting: Boise, McCall, Missoula, Salmon, Challis, Pokey (Pocatello) to name a few. "Load and Return," is the mantra from the Air Attack aircraft. Tomorrow, the "Air Show" as it is called, starts on the Muldoon Fire at 0900 hours.

I am glad to be back in the saddle after three fire seasons off. But life at 10,000 feet ain't easy, especially for an old fart like me. But I'm fast getting back in shape, and my expensive Kevlar fire pants fit again!

But damn, I miss Nick-Nick!

Pinyon Peak Fire Lookout
Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness
Idaho

[Kali]

1. wish you were in the Catalinas

so I could find out what is going on https://upload.democraticunderground.com/10387939

gorgeous image, as always!

[DemoTex]

6. 'Course the Bighorn Fire of June-July scorched the Santa Catalinas ..

Loved my time there, but way too many visitors until the District Ranger closed the lookout to the public. I like this deep wilderness gig.

That photo could be drift smoke from California. But with the heat wave in Tucson, and absent any rain, there could be a second fire season.

[peacebuzzard]

2. Was Nick Nick your dog DemoTex?

Didn't you have a dog there with you at one time?

[DemoTex]

5. Nick-Nick was the quintessential fire lookout dog.

He saved my life in 2010, in a carbon monoxide incident in the fire lookout tower on the first night of fire season. We lost sweet Nick-Nick in 2018, at the age of 17.

[lunatica]

9. What a love!

[peacebuzzard]

12. I am so sorry for your loss, and what a loss.

seems like I recall one of your posts with this buddy. He is missed, for sure. Take care...

[OAITW r.2.0]

3. Wow, thanks for the thread. Fascinating life you are living, DemoTex!

[JohnnyLib2]

4. I look forward to these posts. Thanks.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

7. Outstanding photo!

[Maru Kitteh]

8. Thanks for doing the work, DemoTex.

Sincerely, Montana.

[lunatica]

10. That shot is worthy of an award!

It’s gorgeous!

[Hekate]

11. Gorgeous colors in that photo. Stay safe & keep posting!

[MichaelSoE]

13. I opened the image in new tab

GORGEOUS

as usual