This installment picks up with Thursday morning's activity, and continues through the end of the day Friday. With two massive fires threatening my neck of the woods instead of the original North Star blaze, I've changed the diary title to reflect the expanded danger.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20
The day began smoky, though the smoke was not as dense as yesterday. Still, it’s hard to tell what is going on, other than the fact that there’s no fire within a mile or two. I decided to leave the cabin and go to Tonasket to connect with the world as best I could.
All images are Lightbox; click to enlarge.
Morning view of Aeneas Valley
Smoke has increased by late afternoon
At the Forest Service office there was bad news. Although I probably imagined that tree torching near Tunk Mountain last night, there was an enormous fire to the southwest of the peak. Immediately this new fire became a clear and present danger to the cabin, not to mention the numerous other properties closer to its path. Stopping it in difficult terrain would be unlikely. Unless winds were favorable, it was going to spread.
There was still no cell phone service in town. I returned to The Junction to use their wifi. An Indian woman was checking news feeds with her phone, and learning more bad news about the Colville Indian Reservation. Land was burning, homes were burning, and more areas were being evacuated. I tried to hurriedly piece together my Part 1 diary for Daily Kos. The pictures loaded slowly on the wifi system, and time dragged on. Then the woman informed me that Aeneas Valley had been added to the Level 3 evacuation list. It was time to post the diary and head for the hills, literally.
The smoke had again become thick, like it was late yesterday. Bits of ash drifted through the smoke. I drove east on State Highway 20 and made the right turn onto Aeneas Valley Road. In one field, four horses huddled together, with necks and heads together as though they were comforting one another. They probably knew that bad things were happening.
The valley road was busier than I had ever seen it. Cars and trucks, some pulling cattle trailers, heading in both directions. Urgent matters were at hand, and time was short. Farther up the road, two cars were stopped in front of me. I recognized one of the drivers as a firefighter who had spoken at Wednesday’s meeting. He said the evacuation was partly a precaution to keep residents from becoming trapped if fires burned across the last remaining access roads. Close by, an irrigated field has been designated a safety zone. If the roads are cut off and people cannot get out, they can escape the flames here.
Look closely and you will see the sun
I proceeded to the cabin to collect the belongings that would allow me to live on the road. Once there, I kept a wary eye on my surroundings. Large pieces of ash had fallen from the smoke column, including the ashy remains of a nearly-complete leaf.
This burned leaf was carried for several miles before landing beside the cabin
I felt compelled to take care of some last-minute fire protection. I raked away a thick layer of needles underneath a tall ponderosa pine that had large limbs nearly all the way to the ground. The limbs needed to be cut, too, but there was no time for that.
Beneath this ponderosa pine were thick layers of needles and cones
I took a few pictures to document the scene, hoping that they would not be the final pictures ever taken of the structure. At 5:50, I made the slow trek downhill on the rough road, and made my way to the valley. Where should I go? If I returned to Tonasket, I would not be able to use my phone. Republic, nearly 40 miles by road to the northeast, was a better bet.
Travel on Aeneas Valley Road is strongly discouraged
My friend Chuck was supposed to meet me in the evening, making the trip from Idaho. Being unable to use the phone, I sent emails attempting to head him off. I had not heard back. Was he at home, or on the way? He had said that he would arrive sometime around 6, and he would be traveling through Republic. As I scanned the hillsides for signs of fire, I also watched the road ahead. About halfway to Republic, we met. Luckily we saw one another. One mystery solved. He turned around and we both headed east.
Republic was a good choice indeed. The Tunk Mountain fire had raced northward and had crossed Highway 20 east of Tonasket. Part of the town had been evacuated. Farther south, around Riverside and Omak, additional waves of fire added to the chaos. Imagine being in a place where fires raged all around you, and the phones did not work. Which roads are open? Which roads lead straight into the fire?
We ended up camping at Curlew Lake State Park, a few miles north of Tonasket. The camping area featured manicured green grass and a picturesque lake. It was like being transported to an alternate reality, a nice one at that.
Campsite at Curlew Lake
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
Today I am in exile. But I am in a far better situation than most people who fled the fire. All I’m leaving behind is a 16 by 20 foot seasonal log cabin. It’s one of my favorite places to hang out, but I have a house back in Georgia. At any time, I can hit the road and be there within a few days. I also have my pickup truck with a camper shell, and I’m set up to live out of the truck for an extended time if need be.
Tranquil scene on Curlew Lake
There are no big plans for the day. I need a day where I can relax as best I can. Out in the forests and grasslands, nobody will relax. This is the day that stiff north winds are predicted. More land will be charred today; that is a foregone conclusion. The only question is how much.
One section of the campground has been set aside for firefighters who are working at night. Large yurts, complete with a generator and air conditioners, serve as daytime sleeping quarters for the crews. Many of the trucks entering and leaving are from Clark County, approximately 400 miles away. Forces are being mobilized from far and wide, but the monster blazes still overwhelm them.
Camp for fire crew
An airport sits next to the state park. Occasionally a plane or helicopter takes off. One National Guard helicopter might be carrying the governor or other officials to view the damage. The fire zones have been declared a federal disaster area. Meanwhile, the winds blow and more trees are charred.
Helicopter taking off to inspect fire
The view to the southwest from the park was familiar. Smoke billowed high into the sky. This was the northeast flank of the North Star fire. The vigorous plumes were evidence of a fire out of control. In mid-afternoon, a squall rolled in from the north, accompanied by a wall of dark clouds. They brought howling winds that threatened to carry my tent away. I knelt next to it and held it down until the winds subsided. Those clouds brought plenty of fire-stoking wind, but no rain.
View from Curlew Lake towards North Star fire
Helicopter flies towards perimeter of North Star fire
Around dark, the winds calmed down. The day’s damage had been done. With luck, the next few days will be calm enough to enable fire crews to gain some ground on the blazes. It has been a terrible week for this part of Washington.
Previous diaries in this series:
Fire on the Mountain describes the beginnings of the North Star Fire.
The Accidental Journalist, Part 1 covers the events of last Monday and Tuesday.
The Accidental Journalist, Part 2 covers Wednesday's action.