By day, by night...it never goes away!
The picture above was taken by my son Dalton last night. He was hell bent on figuring out how to rig up a remote way to hit the "take a picture" button without actually hitting the "take a picture" . Old fashioned photography had all of this manually on your dinosaur film camera. He figured out a way to keep the shutter open long enough to defy the darkness and capture the true essence of what it looks like to be here.. Ingenuity of the new generation at it's best.
He says that he wishes he could have a camera that was like his eyes...thinking about that, he's correct. I don't see what my pictures take.
This is a shot taken today by Walt Smith. You can see where the northern arm of the fire has made it down to our meadow bottom right quadrant. The western arm of the fire has progressed quite a bit since yesterday both downwards towards the floor and west almost lined up with the barn.
Remember when I made the comment that we were in the jaws of the fire...here's proof!
Changes in complexion and complexity are a roll of the dice hourly. Predicted westerly winds at 30 mph today so my guess is that it may take another run east and consume the last bastion of green trees that lay between here and the Morgan Ranch. I digress, the last green trees until Seafoam Guard Station and beyond...
What's next?
The USFS Forest management decided it was time to fly into Sulphur Creek Ranch again.
Although it was only 3 weeks ago when they flew in to discuss the fire, it seems like a lifetime ago.
Here is a brief synopsis of our discussion with the USFS Fire Management.
The Boundary Fire is now over 23,000 acres and it all started here at Sulphur Creek Ranch at 10 acres Tuesday, August 10.
Resources to manage the Boundary Fire are now stretched out between Sulphur Creek and the Seafoam Guard Station, Josephus Bridge, the private property associated with the Greyhound Mine, and the Rapid River Cabin. Translation, hand crews and air support are not going to be able to put this fire out. A weather event for days on end will be the deciding factor for the mortality date of this fire.
We presently have 11 fire fighters stationed at the ranch. We discussed the strategies for keeping the fire from steam rolling us the way if did to Morgan Ranch. When the flames hit a certain trigger point on our northern hillside behind the cabins, they will start a fire that will travel up the hill rapidly to meet and stop the oncoming flames. We are not going to back burn until it's necessary to save the cabins.
We collectively decided that it may be close to that time so 10 more fire fighters will be deployed sometime this afternoon to aid and albeit this operation.
Next on the agenda is the inevitable movement of the fire over our hydroelectric diversion box in Blue Moon Creek drainage. The diversion box now has a gravity fed water sprinkler system in place, has been brushed, and cleared, in hopes of not losing our source of power and water during this critical time!
We also discussed the inevitable scenario of the fire moving down to the west of the lodge .
When that happens, the wind will align with the available fuels to our west and creating a recipe for disaster. Reminiscent of the Honeymoon fire 4 years ago.
We plan to also back behind the lodge and the barn so we can stop the fire from charging at the structures.
The last thing we discussed an egress plan for our horses and mules. Our lifeline to the Boundary Creek Trail Head has been cut off by the utter destruction of the forest. The road into Boundary has been compromised now that the fire has crossed over it.
The exit strategy west towards Landmark would be a formidable task given the fact that it hasn't been cleared since we got here 12 years ago. None of us have the time or resources to get that done before the fire wraps around to our western side.
The plan is to wait. Sounds vaguely familiar...I think I've told myself this several times.
You all have been so gracious and supportive with your outpouring of emails and texts!
We appreciate all of you!
We know how much this place means to all of you. I have given everything I have to get this fire under some sort of "managed control" but it's alluded us all.
Mother Nature won this round.
It won't ever look the same and that saddens me deeply!
Wake me up when it's over!
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