What do you care about the wildfires? Well, unless you live near the fire, you probably don't. But since I do, I am using it as an example for what we all should do if we live or visit areas that are subject to wildfires. Several popular campgrounds were initially threatened by the Lookout Fire in Oregon and put under Level 3 evacuation (GET OUT NOW!) orders. As the fire got larger even more campgrounds were closed and evacuated.
Campers are often affected by wildfires. Most often they may have to switch destinations or evacuate a campground because of fires. Unfortunately, campers sometimes start wildfires. Usually it is inadvertently, due to ignorance or carelessness, but I have seen campers deliberately and knowingly and willingly violate fire restrictions and cause a forest fire! Don't be the yahoo who starts a forest fire! Pay attention to fire restrictions and ALWAYS follow safe campfire procedures.
For the second time in 3 years a significant wildfire has started within 3 miles or our home. In 2020, the Holiday Farm Fire began just 3 miles west of our house. Unusually strong east winds (35-55 mph with gusts up to 85 mph!) blew it down river (away from us), charring more and 173,000 acres in about a week.
Now (2023) the Lookout Fire, started by lightning about 3 miles north of our house. It has now been burning 15 days and has burned 10,521 acres (including controlled burnouts by firefighters) but is moving north and northeast, away from our house.
A couple of weeks later some welcome rain also brought lightning -- 1,633 strikes in Oregon in one day! That started 50 new fires, with the Horse Creek Fire origin again just a few miles from our house! We were basically surrounded by wildfires within a few miles of our home for several weeks. Smoke made the air very unhealthy, so unhealthy that some businesses were closed so employees didn't have to work in the polluted air. Fortunately, we were able to get an air purifier to improve the air quality in our home.
The Holiday Farm Fire was a once in 500 year event, with days and days of hot dry winds before the fire and unusually strong east winds driving the fire -- winds 35 - 55 mph and gusts up to 85 mph! Fortunately, the fires this year are more "normal", and fire fighting agencies have had time to work them successfully.
We were under Level 3 Evacuation orders (GET OUT NOW!) for both fires. Evacuation levels include Level 1 (Get Ready), Level 2 (Get Set) and Level 3 (Get Out Now!). Anyone who, like us, lives in the forest, should really always consider themselves at Level 1 and always have things organized and ready to to if you do get an evacuation notice. That means gathering and organizing important papers, valuables, and keepsakes so you know where they are and can quickly load them up if you have to leave. You won't always get all three Levels. The Holiday Farm Fire moved so quickly that many areas were immediately at Level 3 without any advance warning. Some residents of a nearby RV park initially refused to leave, until there were 25' flames within 10' of their RVs! More advance notice might have been helpful, but all too often people just don't believe the risk that is facing them. We went directly from Level 1 to Level 3 for the Lookout Fire last week. Knowing the evacuation scenarios, my wife and I had starting preparing just about everything we needed even before we were notified we were under Level 1 Evacuation. Having been closely involved withe Holiday Farm Fire in 2020, both as residents and as volunteer firefighters, we knew the urgency of clearing out right away when it hit Level 3. Fortunately, aggressive fire control measures by the wildlands crews prevented the fire from reaching our McKenzie Bridge community and we were allowed back in after about 10 days. It was so nice to go home -- and to still have a home to go to!
It isn't just residents (homes and businesses) that are subject to Wildfire Evacuations. At least 3 campgrounds were initially subjected to Level 3 Evacuations due to the Lookout Fire. At least two or three more were evacuated as the fire moved northeast. The good news is that campers, unlike residents, pretty much have everything they need more or less ready to pack up and go on short notice and, unless your camper is broken down, you aren't leaving your residence or other valuables behind.
When camping in the forest you are likely to be in places where you could experience wildfires with little or no notice. Areas near the origin of the Holiday Farm Fire went immediately to Level 3 Evacuations. One of the first venues to be evacuated was the Holiday Farm RV park. While we go camping for fun an to relax and take things easy, it is a good idea to always keep things organized and put away things when you aren't using them so you can be ready to go at a moment's notice if you have to. Some other things to consider are parking so you get get out quickly and easily. When we go on a fire call we are taught to always park so we don't have to back up or turn around to escape if the fire comes after us. Planning an escape route doesn't only apply to fire season. You may need an escape route during rain or snow storms as well. Keeping things organized and ready to go and your vehicles pointed in the direction you need to go is always a good idea. Keep an eye on the weather during every outing, and, at the first sign of increasing risk of dangerous conditions take appropriate actions to make preparations to keep you and your family safe and ready to leave if/when the time comes. If you camp in a trailer, try to back into your space so you can get out quickly in the case of any emergency.
The risk of wildfires or other natural disasters shouldn't deter you from enjoying the great outdoors. However, I would strongly suggest you avoid venturing into any area currently affected by problems and that you carefully consider what you will need to do if problems do arise where you are. DO NOT go into threatened areas just to ''see what is going on''. Many times roads in and around fires will be closed to all but fire traffic. DO NOT go past those ROAD CLOSED signs! The last thing disaster workers need are "looky-lous" clogging roads or getting in the way of emergency operations. If you want to help -- and are qualified to do so -- contact the appropriate local emergency services organizations to learn how and where you can be of service. Untrained volunteers are usually not welcome on wildfires. In years gone by "volunteers" were sometimes constricted from tourists passing through a wildfire area. That no longer happens. Fighting a wildfire requires extensive specialized training, both to ensure your personal safety and to limit the liability of agencies fighting the fire.
If you are interested, it is possible to get training as a wildlands firefighter, but it isn't easy. You might be able to sign up through a state or Federal Forest Service or through one of the private wildland fire fighter companies. You will have to have a valid driver's license and pass drug and background checks. You will also need to be physically fit. To get your red card (wildland firefighter certification), you will have to pass a Pack Test that involves hiking (not running) 3 miles in 45 minutes with a 50 lb pack on your back. You will also complete training in fire behavior, fire weather, and topography along with learning how to cut hand lines and deploy and use wildland fire hose.
Stay safe and have fun!
