We got three BIG fires raging on the eastern side of Washington state with 0/zero containment on both the "Gray wildfire" & the Oregon Road wildfire" in Spokane county @ last word. The Winona wildfire in Whitman county(south of Spokane county) is now @ 40% containment. Whitman county is a volcanic rock, scrub-brush desert county so organic fuel is limited in regards to fueling fires. I included the link below because it gives a visual of the general Winona(unincorporated) area. When folks live this far out from civilization all they have is themselves & a handful(@ best) of neighbors to depend on when a wildfire initially strikes. By the time county fire crews arrive on the scene it's often too late to salvage these farmers dwellings, out buildings & crops(very limited tillable land in this area meaning low population density).
www.spokesman.com
www.khq.com
The Gray wildfire has literally devastated the town/city of Medical lake with all 5000 inhabitants evacuated out of their dwellings. Several other communities in the general area are also threatened.
www.foxweather.com
The Oregon Road wildfire(brutal) is just east of the town of Elk(Unincorporated) in Spokane county(barely) but is home to a LOT more folks than the handful of folks that inhabit the unincorporated town/junction(?) of Winona down south in Whitman county. It's pretty much up to the local folks in these unincorporated towns/surrounding areas to fend for themselves until the cavalry arrives. Then there are folks like me that don't even have an unincorporated town/junction to fall back upon, just acreage bordering gravel roads on the plateau. These wild fires out here have both crop fields & standing timber for fuel. Even if the crops have been harvested there are the endless fence lines that are overgrown with foliage which is a perfect avenue for fire to travel from farm to farm. We do our best to keep these fence lines cleared of foliage but we only have so much time for property maintenance(endless job).
As can be seen in the vid below the farmers with heavier equipment that can pull heavy discs, plows, or even those that have smaller tractors or 4x4 vehicles that can @ least pull a spring tooth harrow or drag harrow are doing what they can to lay out fire barriers.
Below the NWCC (link updates on wild fires);
Below; "Director Of National Intelligence"(first responders tool box)
Winona fire evacuations downgraded, several structures damaged
“Leave now” evacuations for a 3,000-acre Whitman County fire were downgraded Saturday to “get ready” as fire crews got a better handle on the Winona Fire.
www.spokesman.com
Level 1 evacuations for Winona Fire lifted following 2,525 acre blaze
WINONA, Wash. — The Winona Fire is now 90% contained at 2,525 acres.
The Gray wildfire has literally devastated the town/city of Medical lake with all 5000 inhabitants evacuated out of their dwellings. Several other communities in the general area are also threatened.
Deadly Washington state wildfires fueling air quality advisories in Pacific Northwest
According to Washington’s Department of Natural Resources, wildfires burning around Medical Lake and Elk are the most concerning, with thousands of acres burned.
www.foxweather.com
The Oregon Road wildfire(brutal) is just east of the town of Elk(Unincorporated) in Spokane county(barely) but is home to a LOT more folks than the handful of folks that inhabit the unincorporated town/junction(?) of Winona down south in Whitman county. It's pretty much up to the local folks in these unincorporated towns/surrounding areas to fend for themselves until the cavalry arrives. Then there are folks like me that don't even have an unincorporated town/junction to fall back upon, just acreage bordering gravel roads on the plateau. These wild fires out here have both crop fields & standing timber for fuel. Even if the crops have been harvested there are the endless fence lines that are overgrown with foliage which is a perfect avenue for fire to travel from farm to farm. We do our best to keep these fence lines cleared of foliage but we only have so much time for property maintenance(endless job).
As can be seen in the vid below the farmers with heavier equipment that can pull heavy discs, plows, or even those that have smaller tractors or 4x4 vehicles that can @ least pull a spring tooth harrow or drag harrow are doing what they can to lay out fire barriers.
Below the NWCC (link updates on wild fires);
Below; "Director Of National Intelligence"(first responders tool box)
