All fires update (Hayden, Star, Shoshone: homes, neighborhood, cabin)

[509]

Originally Posted by clearwater66

Civilians are being recruited as firefighters in Wasington state. Does anyone know if there are attempts to do the same here.

You need to have had a red or blue card at some time in the past. They are NOT accepting civilians without any fire experience.

My wife had a red card and is no longer working fire. Most people with expired red or blue cards are "old".

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by 509

You need to have had a red or blue card at some time in the past. They are NOT accepting civilians without any fire experience.

My wife had a red card and is no longer working fire. Most people with expired red or blue cards are "old".

The National news showed "volunteers being recruited," with no specific criteria mentioned. I wonder how come that info has been broadcasy, given what you've shared

MSR

[clearwater66]

Regarding donations. Many people have lost everything and still more will, before this is over.
In some places, the Red Cross is managing resources and the Salvation Army is involved in other places, while individual communities are attempting to take care of their own.

Most areas have evacuation centers that double as places for fire fighters to rest, eat and shower. There have been truckloads of supplies delivered but now what I am reading, is they need cash to help with expenses of relocating people to temporary housing and eventually to rebuild.

One credit union in the LC Valley is matching all donations up to $100,000. I might suggest here that everyone use good judgement and not give money to anyone who calls or comes to your front door.

There are PayPal accounts at various local banks and the ability to transfer from your account to a fund raising account. There are also special accounts set up for extreme cases, such as one individual who lost his home to the fire while he was undergoing cancer treatments.

I believe that the Red Cross now allows a donor to specify to which disaster he wishes to fund, or that the donation benefit local communities.

There are over 30,000 firefighters involved with ALL the western states fires today.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by clearwater66

Regarding donations. Many people have lost everything and still more will, before this is over.
In some places, the Red Cross is managing resources and the Salvation Army is involved in other places, while individual communities are attempting to take care of their own.

Most areas have evacuation centers that double as places for fire fighters to rest, eat and shower. There have been truckloads of supplies delivered but now what I am reading, is they need cash to help with expenses of relocating people to temporary housing and eventually to rebuild.

One credit union in the LC Valley is matching all donations up to $100,000. I might suggest here that everyone use good judgement and not give money to anyone who calls or comes to your front door.

There are PayPal accounts at various local banks and the ability to transfer from your account to a fund raising account. There are also special accounts set up for extreme cases, such as one individual who lost his home to the fire while he was undergoing cancer treatments.

I believe that the Red Cross now allows a donor to specify to which disaster he wishes to fund, or that the donation benefit local communities.

There are over 30,000 firefighters involved with ALL the western states fires today.

Yes, on the -> 30,000 firefighters. Canada, New Zealand and Australia have sent firefighters too. NJ is sending about 30 more....I posted this and more on the national thread in Current Events.

Our air in eastern ID yesterday Smoke-filled air declared "hazardous" in East Idaho - East Idaho News

Everyone stay safe!

MSR

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by clearwater66

Civilians are being recruited as firefighters in Wasington state. Does anyone know if there are attempts to do the same here. Be well everyone. One poster on Facebook suggested everyone go out right now and get their car washed so it would rain.

Interactive map of wildfires in the U.S. | The Seattle Times

Farmers are helping the firefighters in the Parker Ridge Fire (Bonner's Ferry), not as firefighters, but by "moving dirt."

Community steps up to help fight fires - Bonner County Daily Bee: Local News

A community stand was made Friday, with farmers from the Kootenai Valley stepping up to help fight the fire that had jumped the river at least twice. Farmer Erik Olson said his crew at the Olson Valley Ranch, Tim Dillin and the Houcks crew, Lynn Jantz and his crew, Brian Morter, Roger Morter and their crew, the Amoth crew and many of the volunteer fire departments in the county helped keep the fire away from their lands and from reaching the Farm to Market Road.
“If your neighbor is on fire, you go help them,” Olson said. “Everything we had on fire was north of Copeland.”
Olson said that the bottom areas are free of fire, however, a small change in the weather or other shifts could bring the fire back to the valley. One structure, an abandoned building that had more “historic” value than anything else, is the only structure lost that he knows of.
The group used their tractors, water trucks, and “anything that moved dirt,” to battle the blaze, working late into the night.

[aiden_is]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

Farmers are helping the firefighters in the Parker Ridge Fire (Bonner's Ferry), not as firefighters, but by "moving dirt."

Community steps up to help fight fires - Bonner County Daily Bee: Local News

I've spoken personally to some of the people they're talking about. There's more to that story than them just helping out, and they were furiously preparing their properties as soon as the fire jumped the river, which was over a week ago. If they hadn't done that, the fire would have spread much more rapidly.

They said the Forest Service just stood by their trucks and watched. I suspect they are somehow prohibited or otherwise restricted from doing anything the federal government doesn't explicitly allow them to do. I get it, but it sure is frustrating when neighbors can't help neighbors because DC.

[mistyriver]

From Bonner County Sheriff:

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Bonner County Emergency Management
August 25, 2015 1500 Highway 2, Suite 101
Contact: Bob Howard Sandpoint, Idaho 83864
208-265-8867
As a precautionary measure due to continuing fire activity on the Clark Fork Complex, specifically the Whitetail and Marten Creek Fires, and after consultation with the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Idaho Department of Lands and Hutton’s Northern Rockies Wildland Fire Management Team; The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office has issued a pre-evacuation notice for an area bounded by the following:
On the east by the Idaho/Montana State Line;
On the north by River Road (south of the Clark Fork River);
On the west by the main fork of Johnson Creek;
On the south by the Bonner/Shoshone County Line.
Pre-evacuation equals Evacuation Level 1 and means residents in the affected area should be ready to evacuate in case of increased fire activity. It constitutes an awareness of increased risk and a need to monitor emergency services.
Residents should prepare and, if needed, take early precautionary movement to relocate, especially those with special needs, pets, livestock or those needing transportation assistance.
A Community Meeting will be held at the High School in Clark Fork, Idaho on Tuesday, August 25, 2015 at 6:00 pm.

[clearwater66]

http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Today's report

[mistyriver]

http://www.peckycox.com/082515_1000a...%20%282%29.pdf

[clearwater66]

Map of today's fires

ArcGIS Web Application