The North Idaho Front Porch (Blackfoot, Arco: subdivisions, expense, poisonous)

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Thanks for the good wishes, guys! So far so good at our place, but this is an unpredictable situation.

Reziac, your analysis of the back country is spot on--but the weird thing is that these fires--all of them yesterday--are NOT occurring in the back country, but in suburbia--in the hills and canyons in a semi-circle around San Diego. Lots of dry brush, yes, but 9 fires, most of them burning within sight of roads and homes? That's why some officials are now openly talking about the possibility of at least some fires being set by a firebug. A truly horrible thought... Today is supposed to be the last day for now with very dangerous fire conditions. Then we're back to May Gray and June Gloom ...

[Reziac]

Yeah, nine fires all at once, without any big lightning storms, sounds a little suspicious, like maybe there's a fire fairy making the rounds.

The area north of Santa Clarita is likewise very prone to fires, and a few years ago had a big one (it got so hot it melted a metal-framed bridge about 2 miles from where I used to live). Same issue -- lots of dry brush that's been accumulating for a couple decades, ie. since the last major fire. When I got to looking at how far the fire spread north vs ground conditions, I noticed something... it petered out (more on its own than from anything humans did) about where sheep had been grazed regularly until only a couple years previous. That area had grass but NO surface brush, and even tho the junipers are thick, they're browsed off to about three feet up -- so there's no fuel on or near the ground. Same job the scrawny desert deer used to do, back when this was all wilderness.

But now suburbia has neither sheep nor deer in any significant numbers, so nothing is eating down that brush. We might want to rethink the notion of keeping sheep in suburban areas.... hair sheep don't need to be shorn, and they're not as invasive as goats (you can keep sheep out of gardens with ordinary fencing, but goats will find a way in if they really want to ... well, Barbados sheep are bad that way too, but there are other hair sheep that are easy to fence out) and they really don't need any care other than a source of water. A few bands of hair sheep let go feral might take care of the problem at very little cost and minimal nuisance.

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

Thanks for the good wishes, guys! So far so good at our place, but this is an unpredictable situation.

Reziac, your analysis of the back country is spot on--but the weird thing is that these fires--all of them yesterday--are NOT occurring in the back country, but in suburbia--in the hills and canyons in a semi-circle around San Diego. Lots of dry brush, yes, but 9 fires, most of them burning within sight of roads and homes? That's why some officials are now openly talking about the possibility of at least some fires being set by a firebug. A truly horrible thought... Today is supposed to be the last day for now with very dangerous fire conditions. Then we're back to May Gray and June Gloom ...

Take care CFF! Stay safe.

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Yeah, nine fires all at once, without any big lightning storms, sounds a little suspicious, like maybe there's a fire fairy making the rounds.

The area north of Santa Clarita is likewise very prone to fires, and a few years ago had a big one (it got so hot it melted a metal-framed bridge about 2 miles from where I used to live). Same issue -- lots of dry brush that's been accumulating for a couple decades, ie. since the last major fire. When I got to looking at how far the fire spread north vs ground conditions, I noticed something... it petered out (more on its own than from anything humans did) about where sheep had been grazed regularly until only a couple years previous. That area had grass but NO surface brush, and even tho the junipers are thick, they're browsed off to about three feet up -- so there's no fuel on or near the ground. Same job the scrawny desert deer used to do, back when this was all wilderness.

But now suburbia has neither sheep nor deer in any significant numbers, so nothing is eating down that brush. We might want to rethink the notion of keeping sheep in suburban areas.... hair sheep don't need to be shorn, and they're not as invasive as goats (you can keep sheep out of gardens with ordinary fencing, but goats will find a way in if they really want to ... well, Barbados sheep are bad that way too, but there are other hair sheep that are easy to fence out) and they really don't need any care other than a source of water. A few bands of hair sheep let go feral might take care of the problem at very little cost and minimal nuisance.

Katahdins. And very nice to eat too.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

The weather is slowly cooling down here in SoCal, from 106 yesterday to 93 today--and next Wednesday it will be down to 60! Crazy. But the firefighters, bless their hearts, are gaining control of the San Diego Ct fires. 3 people arrested for arson so far, but they all set smaller fires (or they were caught before the fires got big...). Soon we should know the origin of all 10 fires.

Anyway, I just saw on the Sandpoint webcam that First Street is lined with classic cars! There are people standing in line at some booths right by the Cedar St Bridge--is this the Lost in the Fifties weekend?

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

Anyway, I just saw on the Sandpoint webcam that First Street is lined with classic cars! There are people standing in line at some booths right by the Cedar St Bridge--is this the Lost in the Fifties weekend?

What webcam? Where? Gimme!

Originally Posted by mistyriver

Katahdins. And very nice to eat too.

Black-headed Dorpers might be better adapted to the SoCal climate, but I imagine it would take some trial and error to discover which do best against local predators. (I can't see 'em using flock guardian dogs; there are too many nutjobs.)

Or do the sensible thing and invite the big migratory commercial herds back. They PAY to graze, ya know.

Breeds of Livestock - Sheep Breeds

[Para]

Originally Posted by Reziac

What webcam? Where? Gimme!

http://www.sandpointrentals.com/webcam.php

I check this everyday.

[Reziac]

Oooh, it IS full of '50s cars 'n stuff!!

Nice view!

If you want to save an image from the webcam -- and want to see how large it is first ... rightclick on image, view image, then save as usual.

Here's today captured for posterity and those for whom the webcam doesn't work:

http://www.sandpointrentals.com/came...517-070700.jpg

[elousv]

Today is Dog d'Alene too!

[Native Idahoan]

I'm pretty sure the weekend we arrive is Car d'Lane. I may not have spelled that correctly. But hubby is a vintage car buff and this should be neat.