West Coast Smoke, UGH!

[bcp]

Colorado



Bruce

 

[ruffdog]

Town of estes Park is now totally evacuated as the east section is making a run to the east in rocky mountain National Park towards town.

The Pine Beetle has really taken a toll out there in Colorado. I'm sure there is plenty of fuel for the fires to consume with all the dead wood.

 

[ericm979]

It's hit parts of the Sierras here in California pretty hard too. The area around the Creek fire in the central sierras has 80-90% beetle kill according to fire command. I was looking at trees there for the forest service in the '80s and there was essentially no beetle kill then. It wasn't even on our list of pathogens to look for.


But right now we have a "20 year wind event" coming up Sunday and Monday with super dry east gusting winds. And another PSPS from Pacific Greed and Extortion. Berkeley is recommending residents of the eastern hills to go somewhere else for a few days. (there was a tragic fire there in '91)

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ Yep the advance notice going out is to batten down and secure... power scheduled to be off minimum 24 hours here... 10 pm Sunday through 10 pm Monday

Just helped elderly friends get ready... one is on oxygen and the other just returned home surviving a massive stroke and rehab... it's not like many have places to go and most would be in the same power situation plus now Covid to deal with.

Their Honda 3000i started first pull after a year in storage and lined up the cords for medical devices and refrigeration.

The other has an old Briggs unit that is quite thirsty so will run on and off.

Mom's neighbor with my Honda EM5000 is at the ready and I have someone to be with Mom because with her memory problem she would forget why the powers out and everytime we have one of these events no telling how many hours I'm needed at the Hospital...

Remember to secure generators with chain and lock because these events bring out the generator thiefs

 

[ovrszd]

The Pine Beetle has really taken a toll out there in Colorado. I'm sure there is plenty of fuel for the fires to consume with all the dead wood.

I had a very good visit with a Colorado Forest Ranger a few years ago. He said the dead trees aren't the problem. Life trees burn at a much higher temp which causes them to create their own miniature weather system and will increase wind velocity. Fires in the dead trees actually slow down.

 

[Diggin It]

Snow storm started yet?

 

[ovrszd]

Hate to wish bad weather on them, but a snow storm right now would be great.

 

[herm0016]

Not yet! Still clear here. Fire is lapping at the outskirts of estes. The ymca is being actively defended.

 

[Diggin It]

Winter Storm Warning up for tomorrow with forecasts of about 6 inches through Monday. Not sure if that's enough to help, or just make ground conditions worse for the crews.

 

[ruffdog]

Not yet! Still clear here. Fire is lapping at the outskirts of estes. The ymca is being actively defended.

My cousin is only 20min from you and he said ash was falling like snow in Longmont a few days ago. He just said the snow is predicted tomorrow.