Diamond Creek Fire

[Drip_Torch]

The words "rank 4-5" tend to get me a tad worried. Also the 1700ha in such a short time.

I hear ya. I knew it wasn't going to roll across the border without letting us all know it was here, and that's why I started chatting it up. There was big fuel bomb sitting just south of the border and I knew if it got into that, it was going to put on a bit of a show. It's hard to say for sure, because it's hard to know how old the imaging is, but there are a couple more pockets that we'll notice - if it get's into them. I'm really curious what the next modis update looks like, because it doesn't seem to me that fire moved much on the west flank and I sort of expected a bit of terrain driven movement there.

Hopefully, this thing has run out of surprises and just quietly does what it needs to do, until the snow flies.

[Glacier]

Diamond Creek is way up in the middle of nowhere. It's not even close to any structures. By contrast, Elephant Hill is burning right up to structures around Green Lake at the moment, hence the reason tankers are hitting that fire hard while ignoring Diamond Creek. Diamond Creek will probably be on modified response for a few days to see how things go.

[Drip_Torch]

To reinforce what Glacier said, not that it's needed, but here's what NASA took a picture of earlier today.

Labels and such, approximate.

[pentona]

Diamond Creek is way up in the middle of nowhere. It's not even close to any structures. By contrast, Elephant Hill is burning right up to structures around Green Lake at the moment, hence the reason tankers are hitting that fire hard while ignoring Diamond Creek. Diamond Creek will probably be on modified response for a few days to see how things go.

If its not even close to structures, why did they evacuate the Cathedral Lakes Park today including the lodge?

http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/news/m ... g-rapidly/

[Glacier]

If its not even close to structures, why did they evacuate the Cathedral Lakes Park today including the lodge?

http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/news/m ... g-rapidly/

Because the Cathedral Lake Park is in the middle of nowhere. The lodge still quite some distance from the fire, and in no immediate danger. By contrast, Green Lake homes would be already burned down if they weren't hitting that fire hard.

[Glacier]

To reinforce what Glacier said, not that it's needed, but here's what NASA took a picture of earlier today.

aug-30.jpg

Labels and such, approximate.

I'm confused as to what's cloud and what's smoke northwest of Green Lake. Is that all smoke? It's hard to tell. It seems like it's all starting from point.

P.S. The Elephant Hill fire is now at the shores of Sheridan Lake. Also, the Plateau Fire had significant growth overnight. It's now over half a million hectares in size.

[Drip_Torch]

If its not even close to structures, why did they evacuate the Cathedral Lakes Park today including the lodge?

http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/news/m ... g-rapidly/

An abundance of caution. To give you a little context in broad strokes, this fire has moved approximately 22 kms north of its point of ignition. Overall, from southern tip to northern tip it's about 32 kms long. A good portion of that movement north took place over 3 days, I'd estimate upwards of 60% - off the top of my head.

Yesterday the fire took a bit of a break from the extreme fire behaviour, aggressive runs to the north, but it went into fuel finding mode and took a little excursion to the east. Perhaps coincidentally, most of that extension follows the linear disruption (cleared line) along the border and if I were to venture a guess, I'd say it was a number of spot fires that were sitting in wait under the smoke column. For the previous three days this fire pushed hard north, however the smoke was traveling north east.

Unfortunately, the fire south of the border, has skirted around the previous burn area north of the border, and crossed the ashnola river drainage. There still appears to be significant fuel in that area and from what I can see on FPR the fire appears to have organized itself in such a way that it will likely make a significant movement to the east, north east this afternoon. I also suspect it's going to burn hard southward on the US side - up the ashnola drainage. I'll throw the Worldview photo on at the bottom of this post and you'll be able to see the change in wind direction. These winds are predicted to carry on into the afternoon and return in the evening. North of the border, down the ashnola drainage the fuels have been thinned to a degree by a previous fire, however they still appear to be significant.

Currently, the fire is about 10 kms away from the lodge and there are a number of geographic features that one would assume the fire would have trouble getting through, however, this fires activity has been aggressive and it's performed more than a few tricks to get around these natural barriers in the last few days.

Things are very dry up there and the fuels are very receptive to spotting - that isn't predicted to change in the foreseeable furture. The current forecast (from the US side) see's sunday as even hotter and dryer.

All of the above (IMHO)

[Glacier]

^ It has been INSANELY smokey here today in Vernon. Make it stop. Screw you, Elephant Hill!

[ferri]

There is smoke sneaking into Tonasket now from the south. I think from the big fire near Cle Elum and the new one near Chelan.

[Drip_Torch]

There is smoke sneaking into Tonasket now from the south. I think from the big fire near Cle Elum and the new one near Chelan.

Maybe, but it also appears that the plume from this thing is gaining strength and tracking just to the south of you too. I suspect it's going to get dark early for you today. If it's any consolation this is your own damn smoke and not ours.

[pentona]

Because the Cathedral Lake Park is in the middle of nowhere. The lodge still quite some distance from the fire, and in no immediate danger. By contrast, Green Lake homes would be already burned down if they weren't hitting that fire hard.

Wouldn't Forestry normally send in an SPU (Structural Protection Unit) crew to protect, with sprinklers, etc., the Cathedral Lake lodge from burning down? Would be a shame to lose it.

[Drip_Torch]

Because the Cathedral Lake Park is in the middle of nowhere. The lodge still quite some distance from the fire, and in no immediate danger. By contrast, Green Lake homes would be already burned down if they weren't hitting that fire hard.

Wouldn't Forestry normally send in an SPU (Structural Protection Unit) crew to protect, with sprinklers, etc., the Cathedral Lake lodge from burning down? Would be a shame to lose it.

Happening right now, as we post.

[ferri]

There is smoke sneaking into Tonasket now from the south. I think from the big fire near Cle Elum and the new one near Chelan.

Maybe, but it also appears that the plume from this thing is gaining strength and tracking just to the south of you too. I suspect it's going to get dark early for you today. If it's any consolation this is your own damn smoke and not ours.

You just made me laugh out loud! No wonder it smells so much better!

It's weird watching what smoke does. One would think it would move in a straight line, but noooooooooo it has to get all fancy. I haven't looked at the smoke map today. I better do that! (The bright sunshine is gone here, since about an hour ago.)

Edited to add: I just went outside, the temp has dropped and I can smell smoke for sure.

[Drip_Torch]

Edited to add: I just went outside, the temp has dropped and I can smell smoke for sure.

Well, we've all got our hardships to deal with don't we. I just went outside and the sky is a very unfamiliar colour (notice how I spelled that) and I felt a tingling on my exposed skin. I checked the pantone colour chart and it turns out the sky is blue! Baring anything stupid and significant happening within a 10 km radius of me, I think I'll spend the rest of the afternoon at the lake enjoying that unfamiliar tingling sensation on my skin.

Hate to be the Debbie downer, however, things aren't going to be getting any better for you this afternoon Ferri - you might want to close up the windows.

[ferri]

Edited to add: I just went outside, the temp has dropped and I can smell smoke for sure.

Well, we've all got our hardships to deal with don't we. I just went outside and the sky is a very unfamiliar colour (notice how I spelled that) and I felt a tingling on my exposed skin. I checked the pantone colour chart and it turns out the sky is blue! Baring anything stupid and significant happening within a 10 km radius of me, I think I'll spend the rest of the afternoon at the lake enjoying that unfamiliar tingling sensation on my skin.

Hate to be the Debbie downer, however, things aren't going to be getting any better for you this afternoon Ferri - you might want to close up the windows.

It actually feels okay out there now, it was way too hot earlier. But yeah, windows closes and AC on. The smoke is getting stronger and little bits of ash are falling.

I'm going out now to turn a fan on pointed north.