Looking to move here in the future, but concerned about wildfires (moving, how to)

[StealthRabbit]

Bit of drama / trivial ... when the risk to smoke health danger is focused on city dwellers / kids, when there are 10's of thousands of firefighters on the front lines, and residents and businesses evacuating, and support staff for those placed in that danger.

Sure if you have health issues.
1) know your risks
2) know your limits
3) Do something about it! (o2 generator + sealed mask or GET OUT of the smoke zone)

How hard is that? (1 hr drive upwind?)
Is a Ball and Chain locking you to your bedpost?

Solve your problems, move on.
Care for those who CAN'T escape (employees, prisoners. residents, Businesses, Caregivers, EMS, LEO...)

The world does not revolve around you. (any one person with needs)

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Bit of drama / trivial ... when the risk to smoke health danger is focused on city dwellers / kids, when there are 10's of thousands of firefighters on the front lines, and residents and businesses evacuating, and support staff for those placed in that danger.

Sure if you have health issues.
1) know your risks
2) know your limits
3) Do something about it! (o2 generator + sealed mask or GET OUT of the smoke zone)

How hard is that? (1 hr drive upwind?)
Is a Ball and Chain locking you to your bedpost?

Solve your problems, move on.
Care for those who CAN'T escape (employees, prisoners. residents, Businesses, Caregivers, EMS, LEO...)

The world does not revolve around you. (any one person with needs)

A carbon filter respirator with a HEPA (P100) pariculate filter solves the smoke problem. I keep a couple around for emergencies, ever since I got caught in an ammonia spill in 1977. No one values fresh air until you don't have it.

[ExNooYawk2]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

That would require:

1. A quantum leap in taxes in rural areas to pay for this quantum leap in firefighting capabilities, and
2. A quantum leap in building regulations and restrictions on rural property in the wildlands/urban interface.

Good luck with either of those. There are parts of southern Oregon where they aren't even willing to pay for police protection.

People do scream when they are taxed for anything in some of those rural areas. My solution would be to sell them on the idea that with better protections in place their home insurance would be lowered. It might be likened to robbing Peter to pay Paul but if cost is the only thing they understand then it should be made palatable. It's worth a try.

The fact is, there is a cost associated with living in isolated wilderness areas (or on the ocean). If you take on the risk yourself then that's your choice.

As for this recent fire, as an Ashland resident (just south of Talent and Phoenix) I must say it was a perfect storm. The area was tinder-box dry. The winds were a-blowing. Somewhere a spark got caught and the rest is history. The valley acted like a tunnel for the churning winds. Had they been blowing in a different direction, my town would have been burned instead.

Everywhere has something of which to beware. There have been a few positive mentions for the midwest but they have tornadoes in addition to flooding, storms and other natural hazards. Other parts of the US have blizzards, hurricanes, earthquakes...

You can run but you can't hide. Hmmmm, now where have I heard that...

[Those Who Squirm]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

Every place has it's poison. Here in the west it is mostly fire and earthquakes. In the Gulf Coast region it is hurricanes. In the plains and midwest it is floods and drought. In the southwest it will be extreme heat and drought.

And now, we have extreme heat and drought in the PNW too. I'm in Eugene and we haven't had meaningful rain since early January. I hear Seattle is OK, but everywhere else in the region is dry AF, and it's the middle of February.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Those Who Squirm

And now, we have extreme heat and drought in the PNW too. I'm in Eugene and we haven't had meaningful rain since early January. I hear Seattle is OK, but everywhere else in the region is dry AF, and it's the middle of February.

It's been raining in Astoria most of the month, and the forecast is for continued rain through the end of the month.

[509]

Folks...the mismanagement of our public lands by politicians, Federal judges, lawyers representing the environmental community and others.................means that for the NEXT 30 to 40 years the west will be living with wildfires and the smoke issues associated with them.

We NEED to burn our National Forests TWICE, before we convert the National Forests to National Brushfields.

That will take 40 years.

[SusVelo]

Portland rain has been pretty good I think, don’t know the numbers but after the February fake out it’s been rainy

[Terryj]

Originally Posted by 509

Folks...the mismanagement of our public lands by politicians, Federal judges, lawyers representing the environmental community and others.................means that for the NEXT 30 to 40 years the west will be living with wildfires and the smoke issues associated with them.

We NEED to burn our National Forests TWICE, before we convert the National Forests to National Brushfields.

That will take 40 years.

Correct, the environmentalist who successfully lobbied for the ban of logging on federal lands have done more damage to our forest than logging could have ever done. The lack of forest management only aided in the problem, now 35 years later our forest are paying for their lack of insight. Either we manage these forests or mother nature is going to do it for us.

[509]

Originally Posted by Terryj

Correct, the environmentalist who successfully lobbied for the ban of logging on federal lands have done more damage to our forest than logging could have ever done. The lack of forest management only aided in the problem, now 35 years later our forest are paying for their lack of insight. Either we manage these forests or mother nature is going to do it for us.

As a Forester, the American public by electing people like President Clinton, made a choice to burn down the National Forests rather than manage them. Even the health effects of smoke I am ok with since once again, the decision was made to not manage the National Forests, but rather let them burn.

WHAT I AM NOT OK with.....We need to protect the special ecosystems found in our National Parks and Forests. Those we need to pass on to future generations.

The environmental community convinced President Clinton to set up Sequoia National Monument. The Forest Service was trying to save the Sequoia groves by removing the fire hazard posed by "white woods" in the groves.

But President Clinton, Federal judges, led by environmental lawyers STOPPED the efforts by the Forest Service to save the groves.

Last summers fires, according to the National Park Service and the Forest Service have KILLED 20% of the Sequoia trees OVER SIX FEET IN DIAMETER. Once again, that is 20% in ONE YEAR of ALL THE GIANT SEQUOIA's found on this planet!!!

Take a tape measure and and look at what a SIX FOOT diameter tree looks like at ground level.

Again, as a Forester, I am fine with destroying the National Forests and Parks IF THAT IS WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT TO DO.

However, I draw the line in destroying the Giant Sequoia Groves and endangering one of the most unique tree species found on earth.

I am furious as the mis-managment of our public lands by people like President Clinton, Federal judges and the environmental lawyers and their desire to burn the National Parks and Forests and wipe the Giant Sequoias from the face of the earth.

[Terryj]

Originally Posted by 509

As a Forester, the American public by electing people like President Clinton, made a choice to burn down the National Forests rather than manage them. Even the health effects of smoke I am ok with since once again, the decision was made to not manage the National Forests, but rather let them burn.

WHAT I AM NOT OK with.....We need to protect the special ecosystems found in our National Parks and Forests. Those we need to pass on to future generations.

The environmental community convinced President Clinton to set up Sequoia National Monument. The Forest Service was trying to save the Sequoia groves by removing the fire hazard posed by "white woods" in the groves.

But President Clinton, Federal judges, led by environmental lawyers STOPPED the efforts by the Forest Service to save the groves.

Last summers fires, according to the National Park Service and the Forest Service have KILLED 20% of the Sequoia trees OVER SIX FEET IN DIAMETER. Once again, that is 20% in ONE YEAR of ALL THE GIANT SEQUOIA's found on this planet!!!

Take a tape measure and and look at what a SIX FOOT diameter tree looks like at ground level.

Again, as a Forester, I am fine with destroying the National Forests and Parks IF THAT IS WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT TO DO.

However, I draw the line in destroying the Giant Sequoia Groves and endangering one of the most unique tree species found on earth.

I am furious as the mis-managment of our public lands by people like President Clinton, Federal judges and the environmental lawyers and their desire to burn the National Parks and Forests and wipe the Giant Sequoias from the face of the earth.

There is a saying here, that the environmentalist love our trees to death