[pct-l] Stehekin Shady Wildfire update

[mike_aken at hotmail.com (Mike Aken)]

A little update on the Shady Fire:

The National Park Service has re-opened the Pacific Crest Trail where it
had been closed because of the Shady Fire. Crews are continuing work on
portions of the fire but have removed any burned trees in the vicinity of
the trail which could have posed a hazard to hikers. As needed,
firefighters will escort hikers along this stretch of trail. The trail is
again the recommended route through the area, rather than the flood-damaged
Stehekin Valley Road, along which there has also been some fire activity in
the past 24 hours.

- The fire manager isn't ready to call it 100% contained yet but things are
in good shape.
- Helicopters weren't needed for water drops today, and the large
helicopter is being released. The light and the medium helicopter are being
kept on stand-by for the time being.
- The 20-person hot shot crew will be released tomorrow. Mop up and rehab
will continue with two 20-person crews and some NPS firefighters. They'll
be working on the remaining smokes and warm spots.
- The completion date for work on this fire, including mop up, had been
estimated at August 8 back at the beginning. That may be pushed a day or a
few days into the future. We don't know yet.
- Also at the outset, the park requested a wildland fire investigator to
come and see what could be learned about the cause of the fire since there
hadn't been recent lightning. Word came back that there was no wildland
fire investigator available within a many state area, and then it was
learned that someone right here - - a member of one of the crews on the
fire - - was qualified as an investigator. So he looked for evidence of the
cause and was unable to find any.

I won't be sending out an update this weekend unless there's something
significant to report.

Tim




  http://www.engel.org/ihwm  (Courtesy of my friend Glenn Engel)

  email  --- mike_aken@hotmail.com

  I hike alone sometimes.Its during these            Mike Aken
  solo hikes that the number of  arrogant             N7OUJ
  and ignorant people I have  to deal        
  with is reduced to one.                    
                           Jack Hampson