Red skies are not always good

[MikeRC]

 

I live 300 to 600 miles from the forest fires in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. But the last 4 days the prevailing winds have locked the smoke in southern Alberta resulting in air quality advisories and dismal days.

 

These pictures of the sun were taken 1 hr and 30 minutes before sunset. One night the sun wasn't even visible for an hour before sunset.

 

I sure hope they get a weather break in the PNW so they can get these fires under control. So many lost lives, lost forest, lost property.

 

 

 

Mike Cassidy

[markgoodrich]

Yeah, Mike, it's really awful. Suzanne and I were in Stehekin, WA about three weeks ago, at the north end of Lake Chelan. The north end of the Wolverine Fire was about a mile away, on the other side of the lake. We saw amazing sights...trees would start to smoke, and then burst into flame for less than a minute before going to smolder. Going up the lake to Stehekin we couldn't even see the shore...the lake is maybe a half mile wide. On the way back to Chelan, which subsequently got hit hard, we were the first "civilians" to see the devastation from the air, in a small float plane. It was incredible, seeing how devastated the landscape became. Since then, the north end of the fire is under control, but the south end hit the small city of Chelan, and of course this particular fire is a small one compared to the Okanagan Complex.

[Lester V]

Mike, you are getting some of the smoke from our 'stickpin' fire. Now at 19,000 ha. (10% contained) just 4 kilometers from us across the border. Part of Grand Forks is under 'evacuation alert'.

 

We will be ok....unless some huge winds pick up. The fire has to first get across the old burn of 10 years past and then come downhill to cross the border. As fire burns much better going uphill, no worries....

[MikeRC]

Mark, I see the radar is showing rain over the Lake Chelan area today so that's good news.

 

Lester, you can leave your bikes here for safekeeping

 

Hope the cooler temperatures and light rain expected this week give the firefighters a chance to get on top of these fires.

 

Air quality still horrible yesterday but better today.

 

I'll be riding through Northern Washington and out to the Olympia Peninsula late this week and will remember not to be too whinny if it's raining.

 

Mike

[Twisties]

The pollution is horrible. We had it a lot in SLC, so I know. Out here on the coast we're usually lucky, with the prevailing Trade Winds. The valley (Medford, Grants Pass on the Rogue R.) and Cascades have been having miserable air quality.