The Rim Fire.... I am safe and sound.

[Roscue2]

We are fine here, the fire is not a threat to us. No smoke here either, being that we are east of the Rim Fire. The smoke from the fire has gone as far as eastern Canada, but it seems to be effecting Reno, Nevada and its surrounding area the most as of now.

Highway 120, which leads to the park's eastern entrance has been closed for the last few days. Tioga Road is also closed due to the fire. Yosemite is still open though, and from what I hear the Valley is not receiving much of the smoke from the fire.

Most of the firefighters fighting the fire, from what I hear, are tasked with building fire breaks and protecting the small towns' that are at risk. Unfortunately, it is very likely that the fire will continue to grow for some time, being that it is at 32% contained. Firefighters have made progress though.

The fire has also burned all the way up to the shores of Hetch Hetchy Resevior (San Francisco's main water supply). The fire is also encroaching on some of the giant sequoia trees in Yosemite. I do not know when the highways up there will reopen, but I can imagine the area will be heavily scarred for years to come. This is natures course though.

From what I have heard, some trails and facilities in Yosemite have been damaged or destroyed by the fire, but in total Yosemite has done alright as of right now.

I had planned on going up to Yosemite in the coming weeks, but with the fire burning this big of an area, the trip will have to wait until spring. Hopefully by then things up in the Sierras will have begun to go back to normal.

HH and GL
Roscue2

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

n/t

 

[Detector Man]

We took our grandson to meet his parents half way out there and in the morning we could clearly see a layer of smoke in the distance when we went westward....on the return trip a few hours laters...the smoke (i couldnt smell it) covered the whole area for many miles like a fog bank....
but the good news(?) is that the hunter that caused the fire will be required to pay the cost of fighting the fire..... .....i forget the dollar amount but its somewhere around 75 MILLION dollars.....he better get a second job. to pay for this eh?

we are more than 100 miles from the fire but as you can see the haze is this far down.....wind shifts ...

 

[Roscue2]

Yes, from what I hear he will have to pay the $81 million dollar tab. He should have just used a small propane stove that anyone can buy at Walmart for $25. They are a lot safer, and many times are the only legal form of cooking in the national forests out west during the summer. And they don't weigh much.

I do not think the guy will ever be able to pay off the tab of course, but he should be required to start paying it back.

Also, last time I checked the Rim Fire was 90% contained, but it is now at least the third largest in CA history. They have also reopened the main highway into Yosemite.

 

[Detector Man]

you are correct about the "only legal way of cooking" ...Past 9600 ft there is to be NO open fires...but backpacking stoves are allowed....Rangers patrol continuously and ask for permits and watch for campsites too close to water and illegal fires..they WILL cite people.

 

[Roscue2]

you are correct about the "only legal way of cooking" ...Past 9600 ft there is to be NO open fires...but backpacking stoves are allowed....Rangers patrol continuously and ask for permits and watch for campsites too close to water and illegal fires..they WILL cite people.

Ah, did not know about the altitude rule. Prefer a backpacking stove anyhow.

 

[Detector Man]

as you know loose pieces of wood or just wood is hard to find above a certain altitude ...i had to look up the elevation thing but it will be on your permit too

 

[Roscue2]

Just read this article stating that nearly 40% of the land that the Rim Fire burned is now a moonscape, meaning everything in this area is pitch black and dead. Needless to say, it is going to take a long time for the land to return to what it was the Rim Fire. More than likely I will be in old age before this occurs.

But nature needed this fire, so I am ok with the moonscape, although I wish it had not damaged or destroyed any structures of course.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nearly-40-percent-rim-fire-land-moonscape

HH

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

n/t