[pct-l] Stehekin Fire

[Wayne Kraft]

I have been reliably informed of the following, which I've paraphrased:

The Flicker fire that threatens Stehekin has been burning all summer,  
slowly creeping down the hill towards town. The terrain was too steep  
to build fire line. But after it got below the 3,000' elevation, the  
ground is less steep, and the plan was to fight it when it got there.  
Now, however, firefighting resources are thin. Last I heard they had  
one helicopter. This is a tough fire to fight and there were probably  
few alternatives to this situation.

[end of paraphrase]

This year has already surpassed 2000 to become the second worst  
forest fire year in history and will likely surpass 2005 next week  
(if it hasn't already) to become the worst ever.   We are talking  
more than 4,800,000 acres here.   As we hike through the western  
forests, we need to do so as if we are visiting a beloved friend we  
may never see again.   We need to observe the fuel load in these  
forests, the beetle killed trees the dead fall on the ground, the  
enforced neglect of vast tracts of forests and seriously consider if  
we are taking the right path in terms of public policy.

http://tiee.ecoed.net/vol/v3/issues/frontier_sets/yellowstone/img/ 
forest_fire[HR].jpg

Wayne Kraft





On Sep 9, 2006, at 8:57 AM, dsaufley at sprynet.com wrote:

> The mini monument is here at Hiker Heaven, if it's needed!
>
> L-Rod
>
> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Shutterbug steiner <shutterbugg313 at yahoo.com>
>> Sent: Sep 9, 2006 7:21 AM
>> To: yogi <yogihikes at sbcglobal.net>, pct <pct- 
>> l at mailman.backcountry.net>
>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Stehekin Fire
>>
>> Girl Scout is on the trail --- somewhere in Oregon I surmise.
>>
>> yogi <yogihikes at sbcglobal.net> wrote:  Seems like maybe last  
>> year's little green PCT monument
>> would be useful up north this year!
>>
>> yogi
>> www.pcthandbook.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --- andrea dinsmore wrote:
>>
>>> Just heard from a Thru-Hiker that was in Stehekin.
>>> He said the word out was that the town was going to
>>> possibly be evacuated Saturday morning. The fire was
>>> only a mile from town and there were very few people
>>> fighting it. He had also been talking with other
>>> hikers who were quitting at Rainy Pass. Things
>>> aren't looking very good up here in Washington. Cle
>>> Elum is on fire just east of the PCT on I-90. You
>>> all be careful.
>>>
>>> Andrea Dinsmore
>>> PCT MOM
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> pct-l at backcountry.net
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>>
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