Entiat Fire

[Sumpnneedskillin]

According to WADNR twitter feed  https://twitter.com/waDNR_fire

#WaWILDFIRE‬ UPDATE - ‪#Uptaneum2‬, 50+ acres, smoke visible from I-90 and ‪#Ellensburg‬ valley (4hrs ago)
NEW ‪#WaWILDFIRE‬ - ‪#Uptaneum2‬, 10 miles S of Ellensburg, 50+ acres, air & resources on scene.  (4hrs ago)

#WaWILDFIRE‬ UPDATE - ‪#Navarre‬, 12 miles W of Chelan, 185 acres, resources on scene, more http://bit.ly/3CrDV (10hrs ago)

[Heredoggydoggy]

According to WADNR twitter feed  https://twitter.com/waDNR_fire

#WaWILDFIRE‬ UPDATE - ‪#Uptaneum2‬, 50+ acres, smoke visible from I-90 and ‪#Ellensburg‬ valley (4hrs ago)
NEW ‪#WaWILDFIRE‬ - ‪#Uptaneum2‬, 10 miles S of Ellensburg, 50+ acres, air & resources on scene.  (4hrs ago)

#WaWILDFIRE‬ UPDATE - ‪#Navarre‬, 12 miles W of Chelan, 185 acres, resources on scene, more http://bit.ly/3CrDV (10hrs ago)

The twitter feed is somewhat behind.  The Navarre fire was estimated at 200 acres last night, 250 acres this morning, and the latest estimate just after 6 pm tonite was 300 acres.  This from info on KPQ radio in an interview with a Forest Service spokesperson/fire information officer.  Maybe somebody in the Ellensburg area has info on that fire.

[cougkilr]

Hope they contain it before someone looses a home

For sure, I have a cabin next to DNR and Forest service land and we have been told that the fire fighters are only responsible for protecting the forest and not personal property.  They do however try to keep the homes from burning because they are actually a hotter longer burning fire once ignited than the trees are.  In essence if they can keep the house from catching fire they have a better chance of saving more trees.

Still not a fun place to be if your house is in the line of the fire.  Especially with the winds they get over there, you can be in the clear one minute and in the direct path the next minute.

Hopefully they will get it contained and be able to keep it contained.

Last year near our place a small 1-2 acre fire broke out and they had to keep guys posted there for a week afterwards because the winds kept kicking up and getting the fire going again.

Thats not true, the DNR, USFS or structure fire fighters will asess the structure and rate it depending on the situation, if the structure has good defensible space and they determine that it should make it through the fire they will do nothing, if it needs help they will start cleaning up around it or putting sprinklers on it or even wrapping it in a fire resistant wrap.  That is if it is safe to do all of that.  If there is no hope for the structure or it is too dangerous they will leave it and hope for the best.  I fought fires for the DNR for the past 6 years, last summer on the Monastery fire we did structure protection and dug line around an old shed, if possible they will try to save all structures. On that same fire last year they dropped retardent on every house that was close to the fire line...there roof was red but most of them survived.

[Rainier10]

What is not true?  When I asked DNR representatives to come meet with our homeowners association they said their main concern was the forest not personal property unless saving the more combustible house would save more trees/ if house doesn't catch on fire trees close to it won't either.  If house has defensible space trees won't catch on fire because trees aren't close enough to house.  It sounds like when you were working for DNR if there was defensible space you did nothing and in other instances you sprayed fire retardant on houses.  I am not sure what you are trying to say, what is not true in my statement?

[cougkilr]

The part where you said that the firefighters are ony repsonsible for protecting the forests and not personal property, I can tell you that you can go to any forest fire and firefighters will be doing everything possible to save peoples personal property, as in structures. Not sure who you talked to but you need to talk to someone in the Fire Wise program.  In most cases the timber catches the house on fire so I'm not sure what they would be talking about with saving the more combustible house, it sounds like you talked to someone who didnt really know what they were talking about.  No DNR rep. who had a clue about the DNR's fire mission would tell homeowners that their main concern was the forests and not personal property.  Theres grants and free programs within the fire wise program to help rural communities and homeowners to get their properties fire safe.

[Russ McDonald]

http://inciweb.org/state/27/. 

Maybe this will help General Firefighting Principles [urlhttp://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/pennwell/Chapter1.pdf][/url].  I work with USFS firefighters and have gone through their fire refresher class.  This is one of the things they talk about.  I have been a volunteer firefighter and work with firefighters we were trained on I zone fire fighting/structure protection.  The first thing in a wild land fire is of course to put the fire out but when structures are thretened a division will be set up of structure protection.  Resources will be called in to provide that.

[Russ McDonald]

 

The part where you said that the firefighters are ony repsonsible for protecting the forests and not personal property, I can tell you that you can go to any forest fire and firefighters will be doing everything possible to save peoples personal property, as in structures. Not sure who you talked to but you need to talk to someone in the Fire Wise program.  In most cases the timber catches the house on fire so I'm not sure what they would be talking about with saving the more combustible house, it sounds like you talked to someone who didnt really know what they were talking about.  No DNR rep. who had a clue about the DNR's fire mission would tell homeowners that their main concern was the forests and not personal property.  Theres grants and free programs within the fire wise program to help rural communities and homeowners to get their properties fire safe.

[elkslayer069]

 cougarkl is right personal poperty is second in line behind human life at dnr as far as protection goes I also think you talked to someone who didn't have a clue about the dnr fire program. Hey coug where do you work outta engine hand crew? 

[cougkilr]

I'm a forester, during fire season we go as needed, either as an overhead position or on an engine if they need permanents to man engines during the busy times

[cougkilr]

Elkslayer, This is my first fire season in six years that I won't be doing fires, I'm still getting the itch, especially when things are starting to pop all over.  I just left the DNR last month and went to a private timber management company, I worked in Elbe for the past four years. It will be nice to have my summers back and not have to worry about getting dispatched at any time.

[elkslayer069]

Right on this is my sixth year doing fire and third as an engine leader outta chehalis so did you work for pc or south puget?

[Transka]

 :tup:This is probley the best picture i could find of the Fire as of sat at 1:00pm they said it was 75 percent contained

[Rainier10]

The part where you said that the firefighters are ony repsonsible for protecting the forests and not personal property, I can tell you that you can go to any forest fire and firefighters will be doing everything possible to save peoples personal property, as in structures. Not sure who you talked to but you need to talk to someone in the Fire Wise program.  In most cases the timber catches the house on fire so I'm not sure what they would be talking about with saving the more combustible house, it sounds like you talked to someone who didnt really know what they were talking about.  No DNR rep. who had a clue about the DNR's fire mission would tell homeowners that their main concern was the forests and not personal property.  Theres grants and free programs within the fire wise program to help rural communities and homeowners to get their properties fire safe.

I was told first thing in the briefing "Good afternoon, we are from DNR, that stands for Department of Natural Resources, not Department of taking care of your mountain cabin.  It is the homeowners responsibility to make a defensible space around their cabin."  He went on to say "The reality is your cabin creates a hotter fire that burns more of our natural resources so saving your cabin may need to happen to save our resources but keep in mind it is your job to do all you can to protect your cabin in the first place, don't bank on us coming to the rescue. And if you think the Ellensburg fire department is going to come up here think again you are outside of their coverage zone."  Because my cabin doesn't fall under the local fire department juristiction, the first responders will be DNR fire crews, with them being in charge of Natural Resources and not personal property I have to pay higher insurance since I am not covered by the local fireman.  Sounds like since our meeting five years ago with DNR that policy has changed and now the official stance is to protect my property, that is great and I should be able to take this information to my insurance company and get a lower rate.  Can you PM me your contact information so I can get them in touch with you to explain how my cabin will be protected by DNR in the event of a forest fire?  I see you are not with DNR anymore but hopefully you still know some guys that can get this cleared up with the insurance company, we have a ton of vacation cabins that will love to hear that they are actually protected by DNR firefighters. 

elkslayer069 maybe you could PM me also, sounds like you are still employed with DNR and maybe have easier access the infomation that will help me, in particular you said "personal property is second in line behind human life".  I am guessing third in line is the natural resources correct?  I am thinking if you have something that you can send me showing that my cabin/personal property is second on the list of protection behind human life that will help me and others in our community with our insurance delima.  Thanks in advance guys, alot has obviously changed in the five years since DNR came to our homeowners meeting.

Back on the fire it is great to see the Entiat fire is 75% contained, I heard it got bigger today but containment is awesome

[firefighter4607]

Hey Rainier10, here is a quick answer for you. The skinny on your insurance thing is since you don't have a fire department that is responsible for your property you pay more for insurance. It's is kind of " no man's land" since the DNR and the local fire district dont collect taxes on your property they don't promise to save your home. Those areas of no man's land departments don't like to fight fire there because they aren't getting paid to protect it.
Now if there is a big fire there the state will foot the bill. If there is a fire around your house and they have a overhead team, they will do a assessment of your home to see if it is defendable or not. If they think they can save it with little to no prep work they will try to save the house the best they can.  If you don't have  defensible space or your home will risk lives to save it they will write it off.

[Jack Diamond]

Ask the folks at the Silver Dollar Cafe east of Moxee about being in "no mans land" with
A fire crew on scene, eating lunch!!