Rattlesnake Fire, Idaho - 2018

[Mopar1973Man]

 

25 minutes ago, AH64ID said:

Stay safe. Material things are just that.... 

I consider myself in a good spot. Just north of me, the fire burned all the way down the mountain. The only thing is the 100-foot embankment behind the housing that is a possible concern. Now I was smart last night I fired up the sprinklers and water the yard really well. Now I just moved my sprinklers up on the mountain. There is one sprinkler behind the guest house / shop that is covering nearly 75-foot circle that reaches the front edge of the roof. I've got another sprinkler behind the main house and it's covering the full width of the house and slightly hitting the roof. Then one more down by my generator shed which has 100 gallons of diesel and gasoline (Ekk). 4th sprinkler down at my waste pond to give the firefighter a shot of using the pond for backup water if needed. 

 

I'm in good shape. 

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by Mopar1973Man

[AH64ID]

Still showing moparmans as being in a "GO" zone, but no update today yet. 

[Mopar1973Man]

We were downgraded from 3 to 2 by about 2pm yesterday. I was never even paged out to get a truck or do anything the fire is still 3 miles back in the backcountry and long ways from homes yet. Here is what the whole evac was about is Hillman basin road they figure the winds were going to be 40-50 MPH out of the west and the storm would push it down on the homes in this area. But its still along ways away as of this morning. Funny part I measured only gusts of 10 MPH and average wind of 4 MPH. 

 

 

I also chewed out one of the managers of the fire for this needless callout of evac. They admitted it was handled wrong and the wrong area called out for evac. 

 

Last night with @JAG1 on the phone about 9pm we started our lightning storm (dry). Very wicked looking cloud to cloud lighting running back and forth across the canyon. Then out of nowhere, it started to pour rain dumping at a rate of 2 inches an hour. Managed to measure out 0.5 inches after the storm stopped.

 

Sad to say the valley filled back up with smoke this morning but I know the fire been knocked down by this rain storm hopefully US Forest Circus don't pass up this change of catching this fire and putting it to bed.  

[JAG1]

I'm relieved to her about you getting rain. That hopefully is the turn of the tide everywhere in this very dry season. Even NW Oregon looks like southern California as if we should be planting Orange groves.

[AH64ID]

Good news on the rain. I was watching the radar last night hoping it would put some moisture up in that area. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Just talked to my buddy @Taz in McCall as of 10pm last night they didn't really see any rainfall at all. He said a few drops hit the windshield of his truck but mostly dry. He informed me 2 new fires started down in the Cambridge, ID area last night. I'm not sure of the state of those fires or did the local FD catch them before going wild. 

 

Then there is @Evan with 10 new fires in Mountain Home, ID area. Don't look like we gare going to get much slack till the rains really come on and snow flies. 

[dripley]

Happy to see you at least got some rain out your way and not enough for mud slides. Never had to dodge in the way fires out my way. Hurricanes is more what i have dealt with ovrr the years. Not so much at home but while working on the coast. Though Hugo back 25 years or so ago blew part of my roof off. Shingles that is.

[AH64ID]

Looks like jack wagon drone operators are at it again...  I really hate those things. 

 

https://www.ktvb.com/mobile/article/news/local/drone-radio-issues-hamper-idaho-firefighting-efforts/277-585612892

[KATOOM]

I thought drone owners had to register with the FAA.

[Mopar1973Man]

48 minutes ago, KATOOM said:

I thought drone owners had to register with the FAA.

 

Uh No. I'm a drone owner and my particular drone size and usage doesn't require registration. If you going down this path you better take on all the hobby remote control aircraft. Airplanes, helicopters, gliders, drones. Don't single out just one type of aircraft.

[AH64ID]

1 hour ago, KATOOM said:

I thought drone owners had to register with the FAA.

 

It depends on the size of the drone and it's intended use. Personal drones below a certain size don't require registration, but they are required to follow flight regs. 

 

Commercial use of any size requires registration. 

 

 

Drones have made themselves into a different category based on their proliferation and lower cost to acquire/operate. 

 

I've been around aviation for 15 years and I can't recall a single time where remote control planes were ever an issue, yet drones are constantly an issue. They are different and a few bad apples have made a bad name for them. 

Edited August 20, 2018 by AH64ID

[KATOOM]

Interesting...  I know a few people who've purchased drones over the past year and they had to register with the FAA.  Maybe new laws in place?

[AH64ID]

24 minutes ago, KATOOM said:

Interesting...  I know a few people who've purchased drones over the past year and they had to register with the FAA.  Maybe new laws in place?

 

What size are they and how are they using them?

[Evan]

Rain what's that.

 

I think the mtn home area is good.  They are quicker to dispatch the bombers than they used to. Weve had pretty heavy air support in mtn home and the sounding areas

 

Anyone else get a adrenaline rush in these monsters.

I dont have current photos this is pony complex fire probly the most intense fire I've ever been part and at times I feared for my life. Coming off the mtn pushing cows into the fire because we were surrounded with help of bombers we got out and pushed our cattle through fire. 

 

 bombed into the  black watches this fire crush a rd like it wasnt there. 20ft talk flames sound like freight train.

 

The sage brush thinned here. We made this draw just right as bombers slowed it crossing the line singed horses hair and cows. Scarey times.

 

 

Living breathing creature

 

 

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

9 minutes ago, Evan said:

I dont have current photos this is pony complex fire probly the most intense fire I've ever been part and at times I feared for my life. Coming off the mtn pushing cows into the fire because we were surrounded with help of bombers we got out and pushed our cattle through fire. 

 

I know that feeling... Now it's just another day in the flames. 

[KATOOM]

1 hour ago, AH64ID said:

 

What size are they and how are they using them?

 

I actually dont know what size they are, but I do know they're not tiny.  Maybe a little over a foot across...

One is using theirs for photos / virtual tours / fun, and the other is complete recreation.  Both had to file with the FAA.

I dont know any more than that.  I'll have to ask them...

[Evan]

The recreation one doesnt have to register.

The air photography throws a hole nee spin on it. Supposed to stay line of site yadda yadda.

 

I used to fly a helicopter with over 4ft rotor. I gave that up before the regulations started hitting. I do know there most liking going away. Theres bigger fish to fry

[AH64ID]

In typical form it's not the most clear. But it still looks like there are FAA exemptions for recreational use only. 

 

https://www.faa.gov/uas/faqs/

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by AH64ID

[KATOOM]

This may answer some questions...

https://www.dronerush.com/need-to-register-my-drone-with-faa-5631/

[LiveOak]

Wow!  Mike I am just taken a back seeing all of this.  I have been working long days until sunset in my apiary.  I had no idea the fires were this bad where you are at.  I can think of some VERY good use for those trees to deal with fire bugs who may be setting these fires.  Hope you and Mopar Mom are doing alright especially with all the smoke and stress of this mess.  I know the feelings of having to deal with fire bugs.  Some waste of life set a fire in 4 places on one of our forestry units and burned over 200 acres.  Not long after, another ****** bag set a fire that burned about 40 acres on a different forestry unit.  These idiots around where I live have NO idea of forest fire safety and how bad these fires can get out of control.  Many of these oxygen wasters trespass to go "hunting" on our land and set fires so they can clear the areas they like to poach on.  Pardon the rant and I sure hope things improve on your end.  Prayers on the way.