I'm in the West Salem hills and it's starting to get windy...a little before 9 am. Considering what happened east of here about 2 years ago, it's pretty worrying that the conditions are almost the same. "Almost" is important thought because, at this point, there's no threat of thunderstorms and lightning. if you head over to Bend on highway 22 right now, because of the B&B fire complex in 2003 and those wildfires of 2020, you see major fire damage along the road starting about 4 miles west of Mill City going all the way up to the Santiam Pass. That's 50 straight miles of fire damage. In the Santiam Canyon communities and surrounding areas, there is a lot of home rebuilding on lots where houses burned. But there are also lessons learned: Trees have been cleared and the new homes (many much bigger and modern than the old ones) have cement-board siding and either tile, slate, or metal roofs. Nobody is even putting in shrubs....bare lots although that could change I guess in a way you could say these fires were long over-due. Dumbass forest practices and mono-culture were a large part of the problem. Most of the fuel has been burnt now in many areas, but there is still lots of forest with the same issues. Sad thing is it takes at least a generation...decades...for the land to start looking healthy again, at least at the scale of a mature forest. If you get closer though, the natural reconstruction of the understory is underway and that's pretty interesting
I grew up in the Santiam Canyon and I'm still saddened every time I drive over the pass. So much destruction. Your last paragraph is spot on though.
Hey @crandc.... @THE HCP Jr. is down in San Francisco right now for her big recruiting visit with her future USF teammates. When she starts school down there, I'm going to order some of your amazing goods for her.
@THE HCP is a city boy and constantly surrounds himself with concrete, so hopefully these fires stay out of the 'hood.
I condemn these so-called "red flag" warnings. As we all know, conservatives are obligated to oppose red flag laws.
Lucia is much happier now that temperature has dropped. I wanted to wipe her paws with a damp cloth to cool her down but she wasn't having it.
One of my coworkers lives in Sheridan (don't ask me why) and they have had there power shut off until Sunday, sounds like.
