Today was the first day of deer season (guns) in Oregon. For two days I have watched cars, trucks, RVs, camper trailers, etc., entering my little corner of the Deschutes National Forest (the southeast, high desert corner). Early morning today (Saturday 10/2/2010) sounded like a firefight in Viet Nam from up here in my fire lookout perch at 6500 feet. Poor Bambi.
After sunrise, I saw the predictable campfire smokes at various campsites. I plotted their positions and passed that info on so that the sites could be visited later to make sure the fires were out (or attended). Then I settled in to a lookout breakfast and hot coffee.
At about 10:30 AM one of our engine crews called to tell me they were coming up around 1 PM and bringing all the fixin's for a lookout cookout! Meanwhile, they had to patrol a couple of prescribed burns. About the same time, I heard the fire prevention specialist leaving town for my area to patrol and check campfires. All is well, I thought.
At 11:50 AM the shit hit the fan. I was scanning east, where I figured most of the hunter camps were, and a smoke literally exploded from the forest about 5.25 miles from me! I ran a quick and dirty position fix on the fire (which was growing before my eyes) and called in a "smoke report" to get some resources headed that way. A couple of minutes later I called in a fine-tuned position for the fire.
The rest of the story is in the photos. The USFS fire prevention guy was the first on the fire scene, and his GPS LAT/LON position in his fire size-up matched my plotted position EXACTLY. Whoo hoo! What a way to end a season (but it ain't over for another week, and they might extend it to 10/23)!
BTW: My engine crew was the first dispatched to the fire. I hope they find a hot little stump to cook those burgers, dogs, and brats! More photos and fire news tomorrow.
A few minutes after I called it in: Fire #804
Ruh-Roh! The smoke turns black - not good.
Ruh-Roh! Spot fires start to form.
This fire was growing fast! I suggested early on getting some heavy engines, a water tender, and some aviation assets on the fire - all of which were quickly ordered.
The big picture.
Initially, the winds were in our favor. Now, at 8:10 PM (pitch black dark), the winds are gusting to 20 knots and the trucks are out of water.
From inside the lookout at 2:47 PM.
The helo approaches a hot spot at the head of the fire that I called for a bucket drop.
The water drop (one of many). The bucket and water plume are easy to see, but the helo is not.