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The Pacific Northwest is in flames (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter cosjobs
- Start date
tri-man 47
Footballguy
Yeah, a friend is visiting the area she grew up in Montana, and she's been reporting how awful it is. But few are taking notice as many families up there are losing their homes and farmland.
The Future Champs
Footballguy
Smokiest year I've ever seen in Seattle.
cosjobs
Footballguy
Doctor Detroit
Please remove your headgear
Is this the fire started by some kid shooting off fireworks? So dumb.
krista4
Footballguy
We've had a few bad wildfire summers in our time in the Seattle area, but I don't remember the ash and smoke spreading so far and being quite so scary before. Thanks for starting the thread. I feel like few outside the area are aware of what's happening up here. We're losing so much.
I'm not in danger of my house going up in flames with the current fires, but the ash is raining down constantly. The smoke has been so thick that we've closed off the house as best we can as our lungs and eyes were fiercely affected. Every day is like a nuclear winter right now. And I've plenty of friends being evacuated from homes and, in some cases, trails who have it much, much worse.
We have a backpacking trip starting Sept. 17, for which we won lottery permits in March, that is unlikely to happen as that area has mostly been closed/evacuated. The number of trails I love that will now never be the same is huge. The burning and regeneration of forests isn't a bad thing usually, but this beyond the pale.
I'm not in danger of my house going up in flames with the current fires, but the ash is raining down constantly. The smoke has been so thick that we've closed off the house as best we can as our lungs and eyes were fiercely affected. Every day is like a nuclear winter right now. And I've plenty of friends being evacuated from homes and, in some cases, trails who have it much, much worse.
We have a backpacking trip starting Sept. 17, for which we won lottery permits in March, that is unlikely to happen as that area has mostly been closed/evacuated. The number of trails I love that will now never be the same is huge. The burning and regeneration of forests isn't a bad thing usually, but this beyond the pale.
krista4
Footballguy
That's just one of many, many huge fires. It's getting a lot of press because it is in a popular tourist area and led to a two-day evacuation of 150-ish hikers off one popular trail. And also because it jumped a gigantic river, which was incredible. But it's far from the only or the worst.
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Chaos Commish
Footballguy
Being a Southern Californian, I'm used to wildfires raging this time of year but this feels much more awful because of the billions of boardfeet of beautiful fuel available in the NW. I shudder to think about it.
Chaos Commish
Footballguy
Zegras11
Footballguy
That;s just one of about 65 I heard of in the NW. It's insane. Most are started by lightning.
Zegras11
Footballguy
Shrink this map like 3 times and you can see Montana also.
We've had many in Idaho the past few years, not so many this year, but the smoke travels right into Idaho.
https://www.fireweatheravalanche.org/fire/
ETA... I take it back... Idaho is on fire big time after looking at that map.
We've had many in Idaho the past few years, not so many this year, but the smoke travels right into Idaho.
https://www.fireweatheravalanche.org/fire/
ETA... I take it back... Idaho is on fire big time after looking at that map.
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Ditkaless Wonders
Footballguy
I hope that your first rains are light rains, until the soil is held back in place. Soil and ash running off in dangerous, soil striping runs into delicate fisheries makes it tough for things to come back. Still, comeback they do, and often in marvelous ways.
Doctor Detroit
Please remove your headgear
Good info. My second most valuable possession (behind my dog) is my lake house in Michigan. It is surrounded by hundreds of square miles of pristine Michigan forest. Every time there are dry conditions I worry, then I start looking at local news feeds for reports of fires. The house can be replaced, the view cannot. Good news is my property has over 50 White Oaks, one of the most fire resistant trees in the world. But no fires please, no fires. I absolutely freak when the morons that live near me shoot off fireworks, one of the reasons I no longer go up there on the 4th of July.
The General
Footballguy
It is nuts. I was out of town in early August and missed most of the bad smoke from the BC fires. Lived here for almost 20 years and have never experienced this. Hasn't really rain in a couple months and has been super hot so everything is bone dry. Recipe for disaster.
As said above you don't see the sun through the day or if you do it's completely red and very dim. Car is covered in thin layer of ash in the morning last 2 days.
Heading over to the Eastern side of the state tomorrow, Lake Chelan, was hoping it was a bit better over there but doesn't look too much better when I checked out some webcams.
As said above you don't see the sun through the day or if you do it's completely red and very dim. Car is covered in thin layer of ash in the morning last 2 days.
Heading over to the Eastern side of the state tomorrow, Lake Chelan, was hoping it was a bit better over there but doesn't look too much better when I checked out some webcams.
krista4
Footballguy
It's so weird. It's been "sunny" in that we've had no rainy days (and only one day with rain all summer), but I've had to have the lights on in my house during the day because it's so dark. The red sun is beautiful but wrong.
I hope you'll find something better around Chelan, but the Jack Creek and Jolly Mountain fires are affecting that area horribly. They're the ones that have caused closure of most of the Enchantments right now. Here's a picture posted today from the Core (Leprechaun Lake). Not promising.
The General
Footballguy
Wow. That's crazy. Was your permit for The Enchantments?
I hadn't really spent any time looking into how it was over in Chelan but it doesn't look too great. I was stupidly thinking since the smoke was all coming from the east and the main fire is southwest of Chelan that it would be better but doesn't look like it.
cosjobs
Footballguy
The General
Footballguy
I've been inside mostly but haven't really seen anyone wearing them. The lunch time bball game that is outside occasionally was moved indoors.
Zegras11
Footballguy
One of the first things people do when they see all the smoke: Run to the nearest hardware store to grab a mask.
Doctors tell us that the best thing someone can do if they’re sensitive to all of this smoke is to stay indoors. If you have no choice but to be outside, there’s nothing that’s going to be 100 percent effective - but some masks will help.
"That's probably the most important thing to understand is what the difference is in the different masks." said allergist Dr. Charles Webb.
That’s because not every mask you can buy is going to protect you from all this smoke.
"Our surgical masks primarily are designed to try and protect other people from what's coming out of our body to keep them from catching infectious disease from somebody else, but it's not so good for filtering small particles,” Dr. Webb said.
You want to choose a mask that either has "NIOSH" or "R95", "N95", or "P95", or higher printed on the packaging.
“It's designed to filter out 95 percent of the particles that are in the air,” Dr. Webb said. “Something's outside that you want to protect your lungs, this would be the mask that would be effective for you."
However, before you go and buy one, health officials suggest you talk with your doctor about how to wear one properly, and to make sure it doesn’t impact your breathing in other ways.
“It does restrict your breathing. So it's not something that you're going to be able to wear normally and not expect to feel some effects from it,” Dr. Colby Adams, an official with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, said.
Dr. Adams says the best thing those with heart or lung disease can do is to stay indoors with the air conditioner on and the windows shut.
Zegras11
Footballguy
BY NICOLE BLANCHARD
nblanchard@idahostatesman.com
ORDER REPRINT OF THIS STORY
SEPTEMBER 06, 2017 2:26 PM
On Wednesday, Idaho air quality took a turn for the worse, veering into “very unhealthy” territory days after wildfire smog settled into the Treasure Valley.
Exactly how unhealthy is our air? If you’re an adult in good health, you don’t have much to worry about, according to officials with Idaho Department of Health & Welfare’s Division of Public Health.
Colby Adams, environmental health director for the division, said the only damage most of us will suffer from a few days or weeks of exposure to wildfire smoke is irritation.
“Short-term exposures to the smoke are going to be mostly irritating for folks, so you’re going to get the eye irritation, maybe a sore throat, scratchy throat, cough. And those will mostly go away when the smoke goes away,” he said.
It’s vulnerable people — those with heart and lung conditions, the elderly and children — who should focus especially on remaining indoors while the air quality is poor, Adams said. That’s the first line of defense that DHW suggests for everyone, actually.
For those who have to spend time outside, certain face masks can help but the benefits aren’t significant, Adams said. Run-of-the-mill surgical masks made from paper won’t protect lungs from the harmful particles in smoke.
“The masks that most people use, the ones that are the hardware masks that only have one strap, those really are not protecting you from the smoke exposure,” Adams explained.
Instead, opt for a particulate respirator — if you really need one.
“We would not advocate that everyone go out and get a respirator,” Adams said. “Yes, it may give you the sense that you’re being protected, but unless you’re wearing it correctly, you’re not getting that protection. So it’s hard to say that it’s better to just wear the mask.”
The masks can be found at many hardware stores and pharmacies, and they’re marked with a label that reads “NIOSH,” “N95” or “P100.” Those markings indicate the respirator is designed to filter out smoke particles.
Still, Adams said, you have to know how to use the respirator mask the right way for it to be effective. It must be worn with a seal against the face to ensure that the nose and mouth are totally protected from smoky air.
“The respirators do not necessarily work well if you haven’t been trained. They don’t work well with facial hair. They also don’t take out the odors, so if the odor is what is objectionable to you, this type of respirator will not take that out,” he said.
Adams emphasized that particulate respirators aren’t approved for use by children, and they can actually make it harder for those with lung and heart issues to breathe since they restrict air flow. Overall, Adams advises anyone with serious concerns about their health to speak with a doctor.
A local veterinarian said the same protocol applies to pet health.
WestVet’s Dan Hume said less is known about the effects of smoke on animals, but he doesn’t expect healthy pets to experience many problems. WestVet, an emergency treatment center, hasn’t seen an uptick in smoke-related illness so far.
Some cats have a form of asthma similar to humans, Hume said, and those animals may see more asthmatic episodes. Similarly, dogs regularly affected by bronchitis could see their health problems exacerbated by the smoke.
Hume advised using common sense in exercising animals.
“It probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to have vigorous activity right now,” he said.
I have all four of the bold
nblanchard@idahostatesman.com
ORDER REPRINT OF THIS STORY
SEPTEMBER 06, 2017 2:26 PM
On Wednesday, Idaho air quality took a turn for the worse, veering into “very unhealthy” territory days after wildfire smog settled into the Treasure Valley.
Exactly how unhealthy is our air? If you’re an adult in good health, you don’t have much to worry about, according to officials with Idaho Department of Health & Welfare’s Division of Public Health.
Colby Adams, environmental health director for the division, said the only damage most of us will suffer from a few days or weeks of exposure to wildfire smoke is irritation.
“Short-term exposures to the smoke are going to be mostly irritating for folks, so you’re going to get the eye irritation, maybe a sore throat, scratchy throat, cough. And those will mostly go away when the smoke goes away,” he said.
It’s vulnerable people — those with heart and lung conditions, the elderly and children — who should focus especially on remaining indoors while the air quality is poor, Adams said. That’s the first line of defense that DHW suggests for everyone, actually.
For those who have to spend time outside, certain face masks can help but the benefits aren’t significant, Adams said. Run-of-the-mill surgical masks made from paper won’t protect lungs from the harmful particles in smoke.
“The masks that most people use, the ones that are the hardware masks that only have one strap, those really are not protecting you from the smoke exposure,” Adams explained.
Instead, opt for a particulate respirator — if you really need one.
“We would not advocate that everyone go out and get a respirator,” Adams said. “Yes, it may give you the sense that you’re being protected, but unless you’re wearing it correctly, you’re not getting that protection. So it’s hard to say that it’s better to just wear the mask.”
The masks can be found at many hardware stores and pharmacies, and they’re marked with a label that reads “NIOSH,” “N95” or “P100.” Those markings indicate the respirator is designed to filter out smoke particles.
Still, Adams said, you have to know how to use the respirator mask the right way for it to be effective. It must be worn with a seal against the face to ensure that the nose and mouth are totally protected from smoky air.
“The respirators do not necessarily work well if you haven’t been trained. They don’t work well with facial hair. They also don’t take out the odors, so if the odor is what is objectionable to you, this type of respirator will not take that out,” he said.
Adams emphasized that particulate respirators aren’t approved for use by children, and they can actually make it harder for those with lung and heart issues to breathe since they restrict air flow. Overall, Adams advises anyone with serious concerns about their health to speak with a doctor.
A local veterinarian said the same protocol applies to pet health.
WestVet’s Dan Hume said less is known about the effects of smoke on animals, but he doesn’t expect healthy pets to experience many problems. WestVet, an emergency treatment center, hasn’t seen an uptick in smoke-related illness so far.
Some cats have a form of asthma similar to humans, Hume said, and those animals may see more asthmatic episodes. Similarly, dogs regularly affected by bronchitis could see their health problems exacerbated by the smoke.
Hume advised using common sense in exercising animals.
“It probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to have vigorous activity right now,” he said.
I have all four of the bold
The General
Footballguy
I'm golfing on Saturday about 80 miles northeast of the current big fire (Mount Jolly). My only protection is a hat, sunglasses, and coors lights. Wish me luck.
Galileo
Footballguy
The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
I was born in Seattle and lived there for the first 26 years of my life and never experienced a summer remotely like that. So strange.
Good luck up there.
![[icon]](/data/avatars/m/5/5167.jpg?1660313464){kind=avatar}
[icon]
Insoxicated
If we were to take a tally of those in this thread and living in this region who have volunteered and taken action against these fires... what would the head count be? Any aye's?
Direct support (financial or otherwise) of those fighting these fires for them? Any aye's?
Not being a smart ###... genuine question. I Am reading a lot of complaints about hiking permits and air quality but nothing about anyone actually doing anything about it. I hope I'm just missing that part.
Direct support (financial or otherwise) of those fighting these fires for them? Any aye's?
Not being a smart ###... genuine question. I Am reading a lot of complaints about hiking permits and air quality but nothing about anyone actually doing anything about it. I hope I'm just missing that part.
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FreeBaGeL
Footballguy
The whole west is ablaze. The Columbia River Gorge is one of the most beautiful places in the world and it's totally burning away.
Glacier NP also on fire. Banff and Jasper threatened. So much amazing beauty disappearing.
Oh, and my house out here in Utah almost burned down yesterday. Literally.
Two streets over from me
One of the neighbors :(
It was pretty surreal after evacuating, watching the news from a friend's place and seeing a battle taking place between man and nature with planes and helicopters flying over our house and trying to fight the fire. This would have been visible from our front porch if we were still in our home.
Glacier NP also on fire. Banff and Jasper threatened. So much amazing beauty disappearing.
Oh, and my house out here in Utah almost burned down yesterday. Literally.
Two streets over from me
One of the neighbors :(
It was pretty surreal after evacuating, watching the news from a friend's place and seeing a battle taking place between man and nature with planes and helicopters flying over our house and trying to fight the fire. This would have been visible from our front porch if we were still in our home.
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seahawk 17
Footballguy
We have the Eagle Creek fire. 50 miles east of Portland. 33,000 acres burned and zero containment. Started by kids using fireworks. Thick smoke in the air and a slight dusting of ash. Kids school has canceled outdoor recess for the week due to air quality. Lots of sports have been canceled. The Oregon Ducks moved practice to a high school on the coast.
cosjobs
Footballguy
Some valid points, but seems a bit sanctimoniousy. I don't live there, but if I did and went into the mountains to fight a fire, I wold die a horrible painful death.
cosjobs
Footballguy
That is some view, doc. Do you have a place in Italy too or just hope to? I had a lot of sake for lunch so my notebook isn't great.
GroveDiesel
Footballguy
Fire seems like the last thing you want people with no training fighting. I mean, what are you proposing people do? Grab a couple of buckets, throw the garden hose in the trunk, find a fire, hook the hose up to someone's faucet, put the nozzle on "soak" and hope for the best?
There's literally nothing the average person can do to help without seriously risking life. Garden hoses and buckets will do nothing to help stop or contain these types of fires. And trying to go rescue people (who have almost all evacuated I'm sure) would be like trying to go rescue people using an inflatable raft in Houston while the storm was at its peak.
msommer
Footballguy
Quint
Footballguy
Smoke taint is real. I imagine a lot of farmers/vintners are stressing pretty hard w harvest starting.
The General
Footballguy
Buc in Exile
Footballguy
You imagine correctly. There are a lot of farming livelihoods on the line in the Gorge. We've had some ash falling in the Willamette Valley and smoky skies - biggest adjustment I've had to make is moving all tastings inside the barrel room due to air quality but obviously that's nothing compared to what they're facing over there. Latest forecast I've seen is that it's supposed to start improving later today through tomorrow but we'll see.
facook
Footballguy
Here in Central Oregon it has been like standing in the smoke of a campfire for weeks. Many events cancelled (fun runs, camps, a local folk festival) and many more poorly attended. We have the red sun here as well, and most everyone is dealing with the symptoms posted earlier. Most smoke I've ever seen here in my 43 years of living.
Quint
Footballguy
siffoin
Footballguy
There is nothing that a civilian can do to help when you have 100's x10 wildfires covering 100,000's+ acres in multiple States. The best thing they can do is stay the F away, and let the people trained to contain the fires do their jobs.
These things are fought from the air with wide body air tankers and on the ground with highly trained bad asses called Smokejumpers. Smokejumpers are like Navy Seals of fire fighters...and will parachute into a wild fire located in remote rugged terrain in very heavy gear and work to suppress/contain the fire. Many times these fires are so large the goal is just to make sure the small communities in the region don't burn. Many times the fires burn until winter when snow finally puts them out.
When communities are under threat from wild fire the region comes together to support them...just like we do for other communities throughout the US (and the world) impacted by natural disasters.
krista4
Footballguy
Yes, our permit is for the Enchantments, in the Snow Zone. Right now Snow and the Core are still open, but the other three zones are closed. Unless things change for the better significantly in the next 10 days, I don't expect to go.
krista4
Footballguy
I'm watching the posts from the various forest service areas and fire departments closely as are many of my friends, and the requests so far from these authorities have been unanimous: stay away, because there's nothing you can do to help. Even the groups who often step in and bring supplies to the firefighters have been asked not to so far.Instead, we've organized a number of fundraisers for WA and OR firefighters. One that I've been involved in more than doubled its original goal in less than 24 hours. I'm grateful for this thread to let people know that monetary help is needed and appreciated.
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The General
Footballguy
Bummer. Head out to the coast and do a beach hike or something in Olympic. Looks like we get a touch of rain tomorrow.
urbanhack
Fight The Power!
That's what they are saying about the fire that is in the Gorge (Columbia River). Witnesses say a kid threw a smoke bomb over the side of the trail. People here are pretty devastated about the Gorge. (Eagle Creek fire)
