Today just before 6pm, a fire started on Hendrix Mountain. No idea how it started yet. There are no roads in that area, no logging today, and no adverse weather in the last week.
I have pointed the web-cam at the fire. Will update when more information is available.
Update 6:35 - a helicopter inspected the fire for about 5 minutes, then flew off southbound.
Update 6:50 - a fire suppressant bomber and a spotter plane flew in moments later. The bomber dropped three rounds of fire suppressant, then took two inspection runs
Update 7:00 - bomber dropped three more loads, then departed the area. The spotter plane is still making fly-by inspections.
Update 7:25 - Less than 5 minutes later, another bomber came in. A few minutes after than, another one. The second bomber circled several times, but then departed. The first bomber dropped six straight runs. During one run, with my binoculars I could see a single tree candling just above the suppressant drops. It extinguished quickly though, and I haven't seen any flames since. The fire is still smoking and I expect the suppressant runs will continue.
Update 7:45 - after a longer than normal loop, the bomber dropped two more runs, then departed. The spotter plane is still in the air. The smoke isn't nearly as bad, but I suspect the fire is still burning.
Update 8:00 - about 10 minutes after the bomber left, another one arrived. It did one fly-by, then dropped 2 runs of suppressant. After another run by the inspection plane, both departed.
Update 8:30 - less than 10 minutes later, the spotter plane was back accompanied by a helicopter with a long line & bucket. The chopper appeared to pick-up the first bucket of water from Secret Lake. For the second bucket, it went behind the mountain - I suspect to either Gotchen or McNeil. The next four were from further south - maybe Stinson? The chopper is still working as I type.
Update 9:10 - the chopper dropped buckets until about 8:45, then departed. I don't think the fire is fully out, as it continues to smoulder. If I wake-up in the middle of the night, I'll check for flames. More updates in the morning.
Here's one of the suppressant runs
3 comments:
Thanks for the update and the video.
David Schile
FFS
Thank you, it's so nice to be informed.
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