My hunting area is burning...

[Guy Miner]

After the long, wet spring we suddenly got temperatures in the 90's here with low humidity and winds. So, once again it's fire season. This time it's my favorite local hunting area ablaze. The article claims 3,000 acres burnt, but that was yesterday. News reports now are saying 4,000+ acres. Rode out on the motorcycle with my son yesterday and even from miles away we could see my favorite mule-deer canyon ablaze... Dang...

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010 ... r-swakane/

Helicopters are dipping water from the nearby Columbia River and dropping on the fire. Ground crews are building fire lines, but there's some rugged country in there. Took a nice young mule deer buck out of that area last fall after a challenging stalk.

Sure hope it gets stopped before the blaze gets into the timber. Some of the areas could use a good clean-out from a fire to be honest, but it's going to mess with my fall plans for sure!

Guy

 

[DrMike]

On the positive, after the fire comes new growth. We are facing a "hot" summer here. My next door neighbour is in charge of fire suppression for the ministry of forest for our region. He is terribly busy this year. The snow pack has not been as great as we needed for some time. In the immediate aftermath of fire, it seems that nothing good can come out of it, but the new growth in the burns almost always means deer, elk and moose, followed by bear and wolves within a few short years.

 

[JD338]

Guy,

DrMike is right, the new growth will be abundant in the coming years as will the game.
This year might be a problem for you, now would be a good time to start formulating "Plan B".

JD338

 

[baltz526]

On the high desert it may be a decade before good deer brouse is back after a large hot fire. Cheat grass takes over along with other invasive weeds. Elk will be back in the burn at first green up but deer need an older brouse to feed on. Bitterbrush and forbes are what the deer feed on on the high desert along with some types of sage. Patchwork fire is good, Large complete coverage burns are bad for the deer herds on the high desert.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Sorry Guy
Hopefully they'll contain it before it gets far. The deer will just move out ahead of it and if you know where they go and have access your hunt might be OK.
Greg

 

[bullet]

Guy, WOW!!! Hope they contain it so you can get to deer this year to hunt.

 

[str8meat]

yes it is fire season in washington, hopefully to much will not burn. could be a crummy season if everything starts burning again. i know its drier than a popcorn fart over here

 

[Elkman]

It has been misting and raining here on the Washington Coast for two straight days

 

[Guy Miner]

5,700+ acres now, and predicted 50+ mph winds this afternoon along w/still warm temps and very low humidity... Crud.

If the wind remains west to east, it will blow the fire mostly to the Columbia River, which is about as good a firebreak as exists. Small consolation to the folks who live along the river. Fire is tearing up the bighorn sheep habitat too now.

I can see much of this from my home, all this is only a few miles north.

 

[Elkman]

guy

I sent you a PM

 

[Greg Nolan]

Guy
Are they getting it contained? I hope it doesn't mess up all that beautiful ridge and timber in the picture. I will pray for swift containment.
Greg

 

[Guy Miner]

Latest report is 60% contained, but it managed to spread to 20,000 acres...

The fire is largely out, or nearly so at this point. But... Sometimes they don't stay out. We will see.

 

[C.Smith]

I got to tell you Guy I was in your neck of the woods over the weekened and the pictures do not do justice to how steep that area is especially where the fire was.

Corey

 

[Guy Miner]

You must have driven along the Columbia River on 97 or 97A... You're right - it's mighty steep in there, particularly coming up from the river. Some bighorn sheep live in that area, hope they scampered away safely from the fire. I've taken a few mulies out of there, and have run into a few black bear while out hiking & mountain biking there as well.

Good country, just a little singed right now.

Regards, Guy

 

[C.Smith]

I was up golfing at Desert Canyon with some co-workers. It was still smoldering three days later. At one point while I was there it looked like it was out, go figure.


Corey

 

[Oldtrader3]

No rain here in the north coast of Washington. It is supposed to be in the 80's here today.

The areas of central Washington where the pine beetle has killed so many trees, burn every year it seems from dry lightning on the ridges. We usually go to Lake Chelan every summer and it burns along the lake every year up on steep terrain where only air drops can fight the fire. Maybe renewal after the fires will solve the beetle problem eventually.

There is over 2.5 million acres of dead forest from beetle damage in the Washington Cascade Mountains. I guess all of these areas will burn off eventually. Then maybe we can grow some healthy forests again over in these mountains.

 

[cloverleaf]

Late to this thread...... sorry to hear about your hunting turf. Hope you managed to avoid the fires yourelf. It is sure enough disheartening to see, even if it is part of a natural process. CL

 

[Guy Miner]

Big thunderstorm yesterday. The dry hills are burning again from the lightning strikes... Sheesh...

Of course, this actually happens pretty much every summer here.

Guy

 

[Elkman]

Guy

I just got back today from the Cashmere fire area. Been up there since late Friday. A heavy rain Saturday put the hammer on every thing in our area. Most of the smaller fires will be contained in the next couple of days and the larger fire N of Cashmere will probably be contained in a couple of days at the most. They were all looking good when I left. :grin:

 

[Guy Miner]

Yeah, that rain really hammered the area! Even the Wenatchee River is running high and murky because of all the fresh runoff from the storm.

Of course, there was damage from the flooding & hail too - quite amazing conditions lately.

Spent a good chunk of yesterday up in the Lake Wenatchee area, scouting for deer and just generally enjoying the day. It was real nice. Much cooler up there than down here in town too.