I woke up this morning to a smoky sky, it is already 70 at 9 am and expected to reach close to 90 this afternoon. This could mean a long, miserable summer along with flooding, we don't normally see this until early July.
Sawguy; we are about a 20hr. drive E. of you, but the smoke from your fires has been with us for a few days.
Blood red sunrises are pretty, but a big warning signal too.
Have you got wildfire equipment at your place?
Stay safe, and fingers crossed for low winds and a bunch of rain.
Weather man just said we are getting smoke from Western Canada fires down here.Must be some big fires.
Today's news report on the fires in Alberta said that 1,300,000 acres of wildfire were active - that will generate a lot of smoke.
We are dry here on the Eastern end of the prairies as well, just last week I saw grass fires in a forested area just east of Winnipeg. There were dozens of NR personnel dashing around, trying to put out the brush fires.
Had some off the fires last week here when we had a couple warm days. Followed the jet stream. 43F here today and snowed some this morning. Might be a freeze tonight and the leaves are out here. :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/May17-2023-leaves.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1684347584)
The grey patch in the middle is large tooth, they are slower to come out and they have white hairs on their new leaves to.
Been fire ban on here in New Brunswick for last 2 weeks. We've only had about an inch of rain in 2 months.
Fire ban has been lifted in this area, but weather conditions are not favorable to fires yet!
Dry and windy!
We had a lot of smoke in our area a month ago. Kanas always burns a lot of pasture in the Flint Hills and the smoke blows up our way and then locally a lot of CRP gets burned in April. We are very dry around here so burning the CRP this year was tricky and a few got away from folks. Didn't hear of any housing getting burned.
A snow squall recently sweeping in from the west. :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/May17-2023-snowsquall.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1684360901)
Nova Scotia has been experiencing some fires lately all still burning out of control, there is one (Barrington lake) 45 miles from me that is the largest in Nova Scotia since record keeping. It was at 20000 hectares this morning and growing as well as some houses and cottages lost.
Another at 65 hectares (East Pubnico) around 30 miles from me.
About 180 miles from me (Tantallion) around 840 hectares, it is much more populated, 151 homes destroyed and another 50 damaged. I have a friend that lives 3 properties from where the fire started, they evacuated right away and said that the fire was going away from his house when he left on Sunday but I have not heard if the house is still there. People were starting to find out today.
A combination of things are making this year worse, a hurricane last year added lots of fuel, lack of snow this winter and lack of rain this spring has made for perfect fire conditions. Forecast is for rain Friday night through to Sunday....I hope we get it.
In northern Minnesota we seem to get all the smoke from Canadian fires. Some days it was kind of nice because had it not been for the smoke blocking the sun, it would've been quite hot out. But most of the time I just complain about Canada not getting a handle on their fires and sending me all of their smoke😊
Hey BB, does all that Canadian smoke have a skunky smell to it?
A lot of younger Canadians are giving up on alcohol and embracing legalized weed. That's a lot of smoke in the air, man!
Oh, and don't think of laying the blame on me.
I just picked up another two four of Moosehead, eh?
But seriously, NW Ontario is putting on a fire ban starting noon tomorrow.
We had a bit of rain last night, but the soil is so thin here, that it can go from soaking wet to tinder dry in about five days. Boreal forest stuff.
@barbender (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=1286) you're only a few hundred miles South of us - is it dry down there too?
Andries, the MN legisislature just passed legalized marijauna here too. Don't much matter to me either way, but it isn't well thought out. The ATF, a federal agency, put out a notice today that it is still illegal to possess firearms, ammo, and marijauna. So they're making kind of a mess.
We've been dry here, but got a 1" cloud burst last night. I'm on sand so it dries out quickly here as well, not as fast as a 1/2" of sand over bedrock like you though😁
Smoke from the Barrington fire is reaching the east coast of the US, the article talks about the Tantallon fire (Halifax) of which you can see a bit of smoke near the middle of the province's east coast but the larger smoke in the south west (left) is the Barrington fire.
https://ca.style.yahoo.com/satellite-shows-nova-scotia-wildfire-201000924.html (https://ca.style.yahoo.com/satellite-shows-nova-scotia-wildfire-201000924.html)
Up until a few minutes ago you would have never known there has been a raging forrest fire around for days. Now we can't see across the road. The wind should keep turning and clear off soon. There has been several more fires, forecast is for rain and/or showers starting tonight for several days, hopefully we will get it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18975/_DSC1009.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1685744486)
Quote from: Hilltop366 on June 02, 2023, 06:22:54 PM
Up until a few minutes ago you would have never known there has been a raging forrest fire around for days. Now we can’t see across the road. The wind should keep turning and clear off soon. There has been several more fires, forecast is for rain and/or showers starting tonight for several days, hopefully we will get it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18975/_DSC1009.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1685744486)
I’m from Clyde river. My place is likely gone. Been a crazy week
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/321723E9-F40F-451B-AB5F-63517F7BF9CB.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1685750454)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/ACC631DE-CA0F-44C1-BBA8-F4CE0C62C543.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1685750494)
You are in our thoughts tonight. Hope we login tomorrow and find good news.
Quote from: nativewolf on June 02, 2023, 08:31:01 PM
You are in our thoughts tonight. Hope we login tomorrow and find good news.
Thank you sir. I’ve been evacuated since Sunday, fire has rolled through my land and gone way beyond it now, I reckon i won’t know atleast for another few days though
I know some folks that have had to evacuate, 2-3 times because the fire keeps moving. Half the county has been evacuated.
Hoping for the best for you WhitePine, the rain can't come too soon.
Wow that is immense. Sorry about your house and land. Hope you get the cool and rain we started to get up here, ours has been mainly heavy showers. Went from 93F yesterday afternoon to 48F now. We've been quite fortunate in my immediate area, never been a fire since 1910. But we are surrounded by big open fields. The old timers when they cleared land back in the day, planted apple trees and a few yard maples. Breezy on these hills in winter, but low fire risk in summer.
Good luck to you guys.
There was a fire next to mine lot many years ago.
It went out when it hit my land. Mine land in that area had not been logged so nothing for the fire to burn on. It just went out.
helped that the fire dept showed up with a 2 inch hose too. they ran it through the woods on the other road.
Whitepinejunky, My thoughts are with you. I hope your place makes it!
I just woke up to an orange sun as the fires are smoking out the country. We have some in northern Ontario that are spreading smoke down here. My Daughter is on bugout alert in Sept Isle Quebec as the fires are only about 5 miles from town. They expect to evacuate 30,000 people this weekend.
WhitePine sorry for your loss. Hope you are getting some of the rain we are.
The Shelburne County (Barrington) wildfire is now estimated at 23,000+ hectares. The largest wildfire in Nova Scotia in recorded history was the Trafalgar wildfire in 1976 at 13,000 hectares.
It's been a dry spring. It started off with exceptionally low snowfall winter past, and less than 1/3 our normal rainfall over the last few months. It has started raining today, and is forecasted to be cool and rainy over the next 5-7 days.
WhitePine, sorry for your loss and hoping that you and your family are safe.
Have you been able to get back to your home, or got any updates on your property ?
Thanks guys, to clear things up I'm not entirely sure if my home has burnt down, but the fire absolutely rolled right through my land and went further north by about 8km. Had lots of various stuff barns and buildings out back I'm sure there is some damage somewhere. My mill was back in the woods as well. I've spent years of work babying that land and managing it, I hope all is not lost and if any, it just burned lightly in the understory.
Had lots of mature white pine I'm hoping it didn't reach their canopy. I was last there Monday when I went back for a couple more valuables, it was a evacuated area, but I went up anyway, at that time the fire was about 100m from my place just around the corner, before that it was all scorched, could see for quite a ways through what use to be dense bush. Based on nasa and other satellite maps the fires burnt already through my place and there ain't much more fuel for it anymore but it could have a "reburn" scenario but unlikely within the next few days as it's finally raining here.
If I have lost everything I will rebuild, I'd clear cut the scorched trees and replant, and with a vengeance. I know there are some close to me who have confirmed lost their homes.
Here's another photo out in my back woods I took on Sunday right before evacuation, figured I'd take one more walk in my woods just in case I won't see it in that state again for a long time
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/D5B8986C-1909-4C3B-90F9-157A4CACCCCF.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1685798726)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/534AA3DC-3816-4D0B-A84A-123975CA1C82.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1685800398)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/D6405269-F940-42E6-B022-831D0A24439D.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1685800447)
I must admit that wouldn't have your attitude if I was on the same situation but then again, not much you can do about it. I hope the damage you have is minimal.
Wow WhitePiney I sure hope and pray that you don't suffer severe damage from that fire !
Quote from: fluidpowerpro on June 03, 2023, 10:51:03 AM
I must admit that wouldn't have your attitude if I was on the same situation but then again, not much you can do about it. I hope the damage you have is minimal.
Truthfully it ain't been easy the first couple days, it was surreal, got teary eyed a couple times, but I've been through the motions over the course of the week and I've accepted all possibilities now.
I'm antsy to get back and assess and rebuild if need be, may be another 3-4 days atleast
Tiny silver lining will be no ticks for quite awhile I guess, and fertile soil
Just talking to my brother who runs a tractor trailer for moving heavy equipment around, he has been in the fire zone since Tuesday moving a 45 ton excavator once in a while, when not moving it he has to wait around in case the fire gets too close so he can take the excavator away. No sure where he was exactly yesterday but said he was watching the fire go by a few hundred feet up the road and was amazed at the sound. After a bit the excavator operator and the feller buncher guy decided it was too close so he went and hauled them out. (maybe Thomasville)
He was saying that there is getting to be quite a bit of gear down there trying to make a wide fire brake some were around 12 feller bunchers, 6 to 8 dozers (D6 & D8 ), and not sure how many excavators, he did mention that there were some guys putting together a very large excavator that arrived on several trucks.
Because he has local knowledge of the roads he has been trying to help other float drivers from away by telling them which roads to take and avoid when moving gear, the D8 (14' blade) and a long truck and trailer they were going to move to the Shelburne water treatment plant was too wide and long to go down a lot of those old narrow streets, we were wondering how many stop signs are knocked over.
Lots of the local heavy equipment contractors on the job, I'm not sure on the whereabouts of all the dozer breaks but I think one up by birch town and clements pond corner, not positive, but just deciphering what they are saying in the radio scanner and watching what the helos and air tankers are doing I kind of puzzled it together.
The local volunteer FDs have done a great job working around the clock. They're all getting experience in that's for sure, this fire will be spoken of for over 100 years around here.
Sorry to hear about the fire.
Last I heard (Sunday evening) there was a report of 49 pieces of heavy equipment there working on fire breaks, looking at possibly scaling back the gear today.
A fair amount of rain and much cooler temperatures has been welcome 10°c instead of 30°c, unfortunately the weather seems to have kept the water bombers and choppers away. The fire area has grown to around 25000 hectares.
I went and helped move an excavator yesterday evening, along the 103 the burnt sections started a bit before the landfill and go for around 15kms (marker 79 or 80) close to Beaver Dam, I know that is just a small portion of what was burnt along the main road, I did not see any burnt buildings, there were lots of fire hose stretched out along the side of the road, in some places like the Anchors Away restaurant the fire went right around the building but the building looked intact.
The fire was moving fast through there and burning the grass and bushes so what is left is blackened ground and trees, the normal look would be a thick spruce and fir, thick enough that you would disappear from view by taking two steps into the woods.
The system just east of you looks like it's going to be around for days. Hope you guys get more of it.
Yes, giving cloudy with showers or periods of rain until Wednesday. Just the cooler temperatures and cloud cover will be a huge improvement over last week.
Nova Scotia does not have water bombers only helicopters with buckets, we got 2 water boomers from Newfoundland as well as some smaller converted crop-dusters from New Brunswick when the were available. They hired several water bombers (I have heard 3 or 5) from Montana but unfortunately they were not able to use them once they got here due to weather so they have been loaned to Quebec in the meantime as they have some pretty big fires going on there too.
Rain here most of the day and for the rest of the week, got 6/10" already today, rained since 4:30 am then stopped by 2:30 pm and now I see another round coming over the hills. Had over an inch on the weekend. I see rain fall warnings for parts of NS popping up, Cape Breton and Halifax area.
Been getting an inch a week here, every week for the last 4 weeks. Looks like that and more in store this week.
Hopefully that will swirl around NS some to put out the fire. All New Brunswick fires are listed as being under control or being patrolled as of this afternoon. 4 fires.
I has been sunny and quite warm here but the fire situation has been quiet lately. BCFS has been quick to jump on some small ones before they got out of hand, somebody with experience and the ability to make decisions actually has the authority to deploy resources. ::)
I got a text out of the blue from my son yesterday: "Where the heck is all this smoke coming from? Do we have a big one working somewhere?" I told him it was imported from Canada and the folks up there are getting clobbered. "OH."
It was a bit thick but high up. Today, it is solid thick and easy to smell right to ground level, even for me with burned out sinuses. Can barely see the sun except for the glowing area. At first I thought it was the small fire I made in the shop stove to dry things out, but no. It's everywhere and we have a statewide 'bad air quality' warning going on. Folks are complaining of course, but I remind them that those folks close to the smoke source need a lot more help and empathy than anybody around here does.
It was like that here a couple of weeks ago. I actually welcomed it, other than the smell, because it was quite hot out and the smoke was thick enough to have the same affect as cloud cover.
Lots of smoke here in the St Lawrence River Valley.
Advisories in the news say "stay inside if possible", especially for those with breathing difficulty!
https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/ (https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/)
Looks like the Quebec fires giving you guys the smoke treatment.
Going on 10 days and after 5 days of rain and I still haven’t been allowed to see my property or at least get an update. Very frustrated with it all.
Hopefully things will open up soon, I can't imagine how long the wait must feel.
Thanks for that map HillTop! I see the prediction is for much worse here tomorrow around this time. I can't imagine what it must be like up by the St. Lawrence and I shudder to think what those folks north of the border are going through.
I just ran out to the corner store and crossing the reservoir I was really shocked awake. The normal 20+ mile view to the mountains is gone and visibility is about 2 miles, at best. I stopped and shot a short clip because I have never seen anything like this and to this extent.
WIldland fire smoke from Canada on 6/6/23 at 4:45 pm - YouTube (https://youtu.be/lSJYPRN_zFU)
Edit: I meant to say WhitePine Junky, I can't imagine what you are going through. I hope it is not as bad as you have to be thinking right now and I hope you get in there soon. Once you know, you can deal with it, but when you don't know, it has to tear you up. Sorry man.
It was so dark here at about 4pm everybody was driving with headlights and it looked like about 7:30 at night. The sky is an eerie yellow tinted color as if a severe storm was about to explode on us. Yeah, we can small it pretty good and honestly breathing outside has it challenges right now and I have a pretty good headache because I worked on firewood all day.
I'm a bit North and west and the smoke here the last two days has been thick too. Thick enough it set the smoke detectors in the house off. No fires close by, although there is one close to my son's place. We got a bit of a breeze came up just now and I can see a touch of blue in the sky now, but forecasting a few more days of smoke yet. Earlier today visibility was less than a mile
WhitePine: keeping fingers crossed for you. Y'know, after five days of rain, the fire hazard must be pretty darned low.
I've heard that they really tighten up restrictions so that they minimize the chance of some knucklehead looting your place.
Looks like the system has 3 more days of rain in the forecast.
Even here in southern PA we are under code red air quality warnings from the Canadian smoke, us old people aren't supposed to work too hard outside so I won't, probably wouldn't anyway but it's so dry here that weedeating, mowing and such doesn't need done too often.
Here in northern NY, a 1/2 hr south of the Canadian border, it seems no better today. I thought the decent rain we got might clear the air some but it has not. I will be wearing a respirator in the shop all day.
Quote from: Hilltop366 on June 06, 2023, 05:01:09 PM
Hopefully things will open up soon, I can't imagine how long the wait must feel.
They setup ONE phone line at the municipality for thousands to call, to set up a "appointment", tried over and over for last half hour, nothing, as expected. I'm beyond angry right now. Have had what I'd figure is a migraine from the stress of not knowing for the last 2 days now, never get migraines. Taking a toll on me that's for sure
It's gotta be frustrating, sorry. We are roughly 500 miles south and lots of folks around here are complaining of headaches. I have had a small dull one for about a day now. The reduced respiratory efficiency can cause these headaches. Smoke was really bad here before 4 and 5pm yesterday. I checked that map in more detail this morning and it looks like we are getting another bad wave in the late afternoon today also.
Try to be patient and not risk your own safety. Start checking with others you know, maybe they have found a way into 'the system' that works or perhaps visit their checkpoint in person to see what can be done?
Best of luck, still thinking about you and hoping for the best.
All I can say is patience, patience, patience. I know how hard it must be to wait to do something.
It looks like fog rolling in here from the fire in Algonquin Park. I wanted to run the sawmill today and Cathy figures I should hold off until the air clears up if ever. They are predicting a summer of bad air from the fires. I have been noticing the amount of wind from the north which is quite strange here. We normally only get the north wind as a front of good weather to come and usually only for the day and then the wind come around to the west. We have had north wind for days now, mostly north for the last 2 weeks. Bringing down all the smoke from the fires north of us.
Been north winds here for weeks, this week more NE, so not bringing in smoke. Other than during the rains here, dry days have had low humidity all spring, 30-40%.
My fingers are crossed White Piny that you get to find out soon and that the findings are good. Do your best to eat and drink as you should. My migraines are triggered by dehydration and not eating enough in a day.
Been a roller coaster for sure, first couple days post evac I wasn't doing too good, late last week optimism started picking up and thinking no matter what I will rebuild and get through it, then last couple days been going down heavy in morale. I'm not sure if Im coming down with a flu or it's just the stress but the migraine, burning eye balls, and cold chills in a 73F room are strange, muscle aches.
I got through after awhile of calling, all they are doing is checking your property themselves and calling me back tomorrow on a status update.
I've spoken to a vol firefighter they said the fire is out and safety is of no concern regarding the fire. It's just bureaucracy now.
They wanna have people notified on their wells and contamination, not many downed power lines.
Sorry to hear about your stresses WhitePineJunky,
We had smoke down here in Southern Maryland today.
The sky has been relatively clear here all morning except for a few fluffy clouds drifting around.
Now it's clouding up for the forecasted rain this afternoon, which we can definitely use.
Hope progress is being made in controlling the fires up there in Quebec.
I feel for everyone out there in the smoke. We've endured 4 straight months of smoke here in California at times and it really begins to get to you. Not to mention the wait for news can really fry your nerves. So far we've been blessed with a record snowy winter and a cool wet spring. I am thankful for every day of clean air and low fire danger.
Any Updates @WhitePineJunky (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=62879) ? I have been thinking about you pretty steady and wondering how you are making out.
Smoke by the Numbers:
- There's about 110 wildfires in Quebec, Canada at the moment.
- Most of the fires are in the far North, beyond road access.
- Quebec estimates at least 1200 firefighters are needed to control fires.
- Firefighters in from France: 110 - merci beaucoup!
- Firefighters in from USA: 600 - thank you!
- Wildfire-Firefighter jobs cut in Ontario over the last three years in Ontario: 65% (some politicians need to be sent to the front lines of the firefighting)
- 692,000 acres in Quebec alone, have gone up in smoke.
- Smoke from BC fires is carried by winds at over 20,000 ft up, by the jet stream to the Canadian Maritimes and New England USA.
This is a 'continental' event.
- El Niño is a Pacific ocean current and weather event, that has a three year cycle. It's now happened three years in a row.
- pretty sunsets aren't always a cool thing.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19307/IMG_4332.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1684719983)
This too will pass, best wishes to all adversely effected by this year's fire season.
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on June 09, 2023, 05:40:35 PM
Any Updates @WhitePineJunky (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=62879) ? I have been thinking about you pretty steady and wondering how you are making out.
I appreciate it. It ain’t good, worse than I ever could of imagined. House is still there, but everything else is gone, all my outbuildings and barns with lots and lots of valuables, gone. The only other thing that survived was the bandsaw mill somehow even though the fire wrapped right around it and melted the gas jug to it. All the trees are dead, the whole 160 acres, scorched black even the large pines are dead, it feels like a wasteland, and I’m definitely hurting today and will be for awhile. I plan to cut down and mill some and also replant over the next 5-10 years. Really bad day today
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Being on a forum like this I'm sure there are others that have trees they almost see as their children. I really love trees and nature so it really hurts they're all gone, the whole reason I lived up here was for the trees and especially big oaks and pines. All the standing ones are orange needles and falling off. Il half to clear cut and start over
Heartfelt condolences on this huge loss, WhitePine.
Though it may not feel like it at this point in time, forestry regeneration and new growth happens quite quickly, with a nurturing hand such as yours.
I hate that for you Whitepine. Remember that with the new growth there will be lots of new wildlife that you will get to enjoy. Take your time and make this property your legacy. Best wishes.
Ah man, I am SO sorry to read this. I know it feels like the end of the world right now, and in some ways, it is, but you do have the house, and that is a big thing right there. Loosing the other stuff is a terrible blow. Trees do grow back and I am sure you will have a bunch of work to do on that mill. But from the pictures, it looks like even though those trees are all brown and toasted and charred, there is still a possibility they will come back. Give it a little time you may see some surprises. I don't know much about fire damaged trees, but I have milled wood from trees that suffered big fires earlier in the lives and survived, so I am hoping to have some too. The main thing is that you survived and are able to continue to do your work. God Speed to you my friend. You will survive this, no doubt.
Well good news about the house and mill not so good about the rest.
Sounds like many lost their house, last I heard was 150 structures destroyed, 60 were houses and cottages.
WhitePine, I am really, really sorry. The only thing that can help me relate is a really powerful windstorm that just flattened my neighborhood back in 2012. No loss of life or even property really, mainly timber damage. But it really did just flatten huge areas around here, in a matter of minutes people's forested properties just looked like someone smashed everything to the ground with a big hand. I was visiting a neighbor, and he said, "I didn't lose anything but trees, no one got hurt, but this was almost...traumatic?". I told him I felt exactly the same, just seeing all of the forest that we'd hunted and lived in our whole lives flattened in the blink of an eye was really hard to comprehend.
With all of that said, I again just say I am really sorry for everything that happened up there, and the loss you suffered. It will take a long time to come to terms with it, I'm sure.
I also wouldn't rush in there with a chainsaw and just start cutting things down. Lots of trees can withstand a lot more heat than we think. I've done enough controlled burns where the wind changes direction and things get a lot hotter than they should. Yet 98% of the time the trees still made it. Some of it has to do with the temp at the roots or the terminal bud and for how long. If that fire went through there tall and fast it might have just singed things and they will start getting green again after some rain and time.
I am heartbroken for you WPJ. Those pine will regenerate ,the understory will pop with green this summer after some more rain.
Worry about your building's and what you can salvage from them.
The time for your trees will be next winter or even the winter after next summer once you see what has survived and what you need saw to rebuild.
All the best.
That's a hard picture to look at. :o :(
I own land and trees too. I know how you feel.
I'm so sorry. I know the pain of losing the trees. I built my house where I did because of the yellow pines we have. 2 years after we moved in a wind event/tornado took down almost all of the big trees. Luckily for us, there were a lot of small trees that have grown a lot in the last 20 years. It's pretty again, but not like it used to be. You will have a lot of work to do, but I know you can make it look pretty again. It will be different but pretty.
I know how you feel about your woodlot. That devastation is major kick in the guts. Hopefully you have cost share programs down there to help with reestablishment. Best of luck and better days ahead.
Oak and most pine are fire adapted species, fwiw. Hopefully a number of them will pull through and you'll have the cleanest looking understory around.
A sad time. Stay strong, trees are renewable, and nature heals.
Quote from: WhitePineJunky on June 09, 2023, 06:29:26 PM
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on June 09, 2023, 05:40:35 PM
Any Updates @WhitePineJunky (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=62879) ? I have been thinking about you pretty steady and wondering how you are making out.
I appreciate it. It ain't good, worse than I ever could of imagined. House is still there, but everything else is gone, all my outbuildings and barns with lots and lots of valuables, gone. The only other thing that survived was the bandsaw mill somehow even though the fire wrapped right around it and melted the gas jug to it. All the trees are dead, the whole 160 acres, scorched black even the large pines are dead, it feels like a wasteland, and I'm definitely hurting today and will be for awhile. I plan to cut down and mill some and also replant over the next 5-10 years. Really bad day today
WPJ- Very sorry to hear but don't wait to replant. I cannot suggest strongly enough that you go ahead and seed in with acorns and other forest tree seeds. Much much faster than seedlings, a fraction of the costs. You can design the next forest in much greater degrees of freedom. It's what nature will do in any case, help it along. I am guessing that some acorns and pine seeds will have survived and sprout. Walk the forest floor carefully looking. I'd also go ahead and apply some native flowing plant seeds. A little tiny bit will do you. Garret Seed in North Carolina is one of the best and I am sure they could point you to a seed source for your needs.
WP - sorry to hear this. Don't give up on those pines yet. A fire started on our place a bit over a decade ago from a tree falling onto a power line. It was a bad day and there were fires all around the are. @Wudman (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=624) can tell you more about the event. Anyway the fire got into pine and from the looks of the scorching on your trees wasn't a lot different than what happened here. Anything over 12" DBH survived and many smaller ones did too. Had a bad ice storm come through two winters back and did a LOT of damage all around, no power for three weeks and I had stood outside and listened to tree after tree after tree snap off, it was bad. Many of those snapped off pines are now falling on their own, but the natural re-gen that has come up really hides them. A friend had me come over this spring as he thought he had some type of bug as he only now noticed the dead trees. Even the oaks have dropped the dead limbs that snapped off but didn't fall. One has to know what happened and then look for the evidence now instead of it being everywhere, and it's only been a bit over two years. Things will get better quickly.
Thanks everyone. I've been laying low last couple days got a stress migraine and can't eat much or sleep with cold sweats and hot flashes, but I'm coming around a little today, I had to leave the property the day I saw it as it's too depressing for me to see right now.
I'm going back this week though.
I already had 5000 seedlings of red/white pine to plant this season but they don't get here until September, I am probably calling them back up and adding 10000 to the order I'm not sure exactly how many yet though.
I really hope some of the big pines come through but I don't have high hopes, here's another picture that shows the crowns, all the needles are orange
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/912A56BB-5824-4F64-8774-802800684088.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1686497542)
If anyone has experience with white pine being hit by forest fire badly let me know what you think
My grandfather had white pine on his property and that of cousins, that went through a fire about 100 years ago. One was gutted enough to be able to stand inside. The pines are still alive. They are 36" + diameter pines. Then, I have seen white pine forest on the upper Miramachi that were standing ghosts with 60 year old spruce growing up since the fire. Old dead standing pine everywhere. Depends on the heat, a slow moving fire does more damage than a wind driven one that mostly jumps in the tree crowns.
One of them white pines.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_Firescar2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1192063187)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_Firescar.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1192063187)
WPJ, what I am seeing in that photo looks like a fairly fast moving mid-story burn, some creeping fire on the ground but not a lot, that took out the saplings if there were any and some smaller trees. Look like most of the stuff on the ground may have been litter before the fire? The crowns of the trees are all brown BUT they re there. This tells me that fire was not hot enough up in the crown to do a complete killing burn. This I see as all very good news. Give it time and see what pops. I also see green in the background so perhaps there will be some regen coming from that side also?
Yes, quite a blow and extremely depressing, but at least you are there to fix it. It will take time for sure. Now would be a good time to clear up all that litter, before the grass pops up and covers it. Miserable and dirty work, but much easier now than later.
In my experience white pine is quite resilient and grows like weeds. I have a patch 50' from where I sit right now where the saplings are popping up 14" apart and choking each other out. I am considering it a mini nursery ;D.
Best of luck man. Stay strong, you will get through this.
The photo was thick understory balsam mostly which I was working away at to get some pine regen, it was working. If the trees survive and they can seed that understory within a couple years it won't be all that bad. I had about 10 acres I recently cleared and planted and sadly all that hard work is gone. The green in the background is across the road they made a stand against the fire on the road and succeeded in that spot as there is 3 houses over there. I'd reckon my thinning in the front helped the firefighters tremendously
WPJ, I want to add my thoughts and prayers to others. I can't hardly fathom how this must have felt when you first laid eyes on your property. It's easy and normal for the rest of us to try and find the small victories in this tragedy but it is a miracle that your home is still standing! Hopefully you will be able to survive this gut punch and soldier on with your work. Wishing the best for you and will follow your progress.
Kindly, Ed
Set up some camera points on the burned area to retain a photo history of the property's restored vegetation over time. If you determine that the natural regeneration of the desired species on your soil types is inadequate over the next 5 years, then you can pursue an increased planting program to increase stocking.
I have a lot of white pine on my land. When my father and me started to cut it, you could see out through the woods and go just about anywhere with a tractor without cutting many trees.
As Old greenhorn said, white pine is like a weed.
When we deturbed the soil, those took off like weed!!!
The land changed.
I would like an update on this in about 5 years.
Well, I bet we all would.
You will know in just 2 years what is going to happen.
Quote from: thecfarm on June 12, 2023, 06:04:08 AM
I have a lot of white pine on my land. When my father and me started to cut it, you could see out through the woods and go just about anywhere with a tractor without cutting many trees.
As Old greenhorn said, white pine is like a weed.
When we deturbed the soil, those took off like weed!!!
The land changed.
I would like an update on this in about 5 years.
Well, I bet we all would.
You will know in just 2 years what is going to happen.
It does react pretty wildly. I've thinned areas few years ago and they were regenerating nice trees. I've read I think every thread on this forum regarding white pine and iirc it was you who said it's like kicking a hornets nest, I think that describes it perfectly.
I will make a separate thread with pictures and my plans for the land for here on out, and do follow up intervals for the coming years as a "documented study" so to speak
White Pine I'm sorry to hear of your loss can only imagine the feelings involved, certainly not a roller coaster I want to ride. One thing to keep in mind when it comes to natural disasters. Mother Nature is the ultimate healer of the land. Just keep working with Nature like you have been and I assure you your efforts will be rewarded. You certainly got a kick in the shorts yet the silver lining of this cloud will show up eventually.
Analysis: Canadian Wildfires Shutter Sawmills, Drive Up Lumber Prices (https://sm1.multibriefs.com/t/gcH1AAfbaBPWTAM~QPYAfD00rF4xaJ28SKJZoaaaaJ28BSIZAD6aa?o=kjwZxojmCw6~25z5ctorVng.hjr~amp;Y=kjwZxojmCw6~25z5ctorVng.hjr~amp;g=Hj~amp;2=)
Reuters, June 12, 2023 Canada's worst-ever spring wildfire season has forced its forestry industry to shutter sawmills, driving up lumber prices and setting production back for months just as housing construction has slowed due to higher costs and a tight labour market. READ MORE (https://sm1.multibriefs.com/t/gcH1AAfbaBPWTAM~QPYAfD00rF4xaJ28SKJZoaaaaJ28BSIZAD6aa?o=kjwZxojmCw6~25z5ctorVng.hjr~amp;Y=kjwZxojmCw6~25z5ctorVng.hjr~amp;g=Hk~amp;2=) |
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The E-Forester
Noticing a lot of this: all the needles dead on pines but new candles shooting up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/528BCD76-0A4E-4FAB-AE1A-10BDA3A18718.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1686945869)
Still plan on making a new thread just been busy with immediate tasks after the fire. Just got back from a end of day walk to take "inventory" and seen this and more like it. Amazes me the resilience of the pine, hopefully we get a wet summer because they could use it
That could be the first 'silver lining' that newoodguy78 was talking about.
Here's hoping you see many more.
Yes Sir those new candles are a site for sore eyes. Leave the chainsaw in the truck for a bit longer.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/3B81B5F8-4F28-40D4-BAA7-A5E046CBC3A7.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1690142031)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/C1D35F52-6D2F-4BF6-BBA8-53225F049E7E.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1690142064)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/0A415016-9A38-4F9A-ADFE-E2BBC6677414.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1690142098)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/34D7C294-6372-49C2-9C7D-77F9355677BB.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1690142134)
6 weeks after fire and a lot of maples are recovering also, the maples had long enough this spring before fire to create seed so the seeds were everywhere, the result is carpet of red maple. Some mature white pines are recovering also.
I'll bet that it makes you feel better when you see all that life springing up from a blackened earth.
Thanks for the update.
Quote from: Andries on July 23, 2023, 04:02:14 PM
I'll bet that it makes you feel better when you see all that life springing up from a blackened earth.
Thanks for the update.
It certainly does and makes me excited for next spring when they all really have the opportunity to take off and grow. There are areas that are a loss where the fire burned really hot, it’s spotty. Near the front about 4 acres of mature white pine had crown fire and no sign of life from them, so I’ve cleared most of it now and have the logs laying on the ground ready to be skidded in the coming weeks, then September the area will be replanted with white pine seedling.
A good chunk of the junk wood will be left to rot to give nutrients back to the land, create breaks from erosion happening during heavy rain, and make it harder for the deer to get to each individual seedling, they are lazy so I’m thinking they’ll choose a path throughout the downfall and stick to it mostly and leave a lot of the seedlings alone that are divided and Barriered with the junk wood.
It looks and sounds like the forest recovery is coming along just fine.
I hope for you and yours that the insurance and personal recovery is working out just as well?
Quote from: Andries on July 23, 2023, 04:13:34 PM
It looks and sounds like the forest recovery is coming along just fine.
I hope for you and yours that the insurance and personal recovery is working out just as well?
Personal recovery is good, insurance wise there was some loss but also some coverage. 2 separate parcels of land, everything on the small parcel with my house was covered, stuff on my woodlot, not so much. I'm over it by now though and rebuilding
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/678D3B10-3E8F-4124-9985-13629C1D0C0F.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1692044818)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/C406700B-6794-4D14-B45D-687AACABEF28.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1692044846)
Big tooth aspens coming up quickly
It is really amazing to see a burned area recover so quickly. Some species depend on heat to slit the husks and release the seed. Another year your stand will be looking healthy again.
Big tooth is the better of our dominant aspens up here. Grows 30% faster and does not get cankers as bad and nice orange foliage in fall. :)
My son was evacuated from West Kelowna last night and the fire came within 200 yards of his house. That was this morning report. His family is safe 1 hour away waiting to go back. Waiting to hear more
I am glad he is safe. I still have not been able to reach friends in the area.
Kelowna, Yellowknife and Hay River.
What's that, just under 100,000 people evacuated?
Wishing all those on the run good luck and may your survival skills keep you and yours safe!
Quote from: Andries on August 18, 2023, 06:07:43 PM
Kelowna, Yellowknife and Hay River.
What's that, just under 100,000 people evacuated?
Wishing all those on the run good luck and may your survival skills keep you and yours safe!
20,000.
Hope all be safe
Yellowknife is 45,000 people according to CBC headline - in the summer much higher.
Add in Hay River, Fort Smith and others.
A whole lot of Hercs left Winnipeg at 1:30 am today to airlift.
Regardless a lot of people in danger
CBC should check their facts
Yellowknife population just over 20340 2021 Census
Yeah, Yellowknife has been around 20,000 for years. The whole NW Territory up there is 45,605 and that is a vast area. Only 0.03987 persons/km² for Population Density. Lots of no man's land. :D That don't include Yukon and Nunavut territories.
My sons house has been saved by the Firefighters in Kelowna. The mcDougal fire surrounded his neighbourhood and this morning his house is okay!! 8)
A friend was due to return from Vancouver Island today but his options are limited. The Kelowna airport is closed to allow the air tankers and helicopters to land, refuel and change crews. Highway 5 is open to Kamloops as far as I know but the TCH is closed east from there so the bus (if it is running) would have to go to Vernon then north to rejoin the highway at Salmon Arm. Those roads will be plugged with evacuees from the fire at Kelowna, it is a real mess. :'(
Mother called one fellow in Kelowna out there that we know and they said the smoke is terrible where they are at. They are up hill from the lake and just sage brush grows near their place, the trees are further up the mountain. They are 1 mile from the airport I think. The older relatives around there are dead from age, and the younger folks we rarely hear from and pretty much strangers to me. A challenging place to live with few ways out.
There was talk of us going to the plant fire in santa barbara county, between camarillo and bakersfield. But luckily the rains from the hurricane put a hurtn on the fire.
To top things off, it is being reported that some firefighting equipment is being stolen in the Shuswap region fire. The missing gear includes at least 15 sets of equipment, which each contain multiple pumps, hoses, and sprinklers, and an ATV. RCMP officers are patrolling the communities and have made arrests.
That is low even for thieves >:( It makes a bad situation worse. A lightning strike started another fire in the neighboring towns watershed, a bomber and helicopters got on it quickly so we hope it is quickly contained. Everyone is on edge but the forecast is for light rain over the next couple of days then more heat.
It seems CBC's initial characterization of fire equipment theft lacked some context of the situation. Residence are trying to help, but authorities want none of it. In the past, this kind of control mongering was unheard of.
'We've been abandoned': Why anger in the Shuswap is growing over B.C.'s wildfire fighting strategy | CBC News (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/shuswap-fire-response-bcws-analysis-1.6944412)
Sawguy, here's hoping that bit of forecasted rain gives the fire control folks a bit of time to throw up firebreaks where needed. Stay safe and be ready.
I can't imagine the level of frustration in that situation. If a fire was threatening my property, and there was unused fire fighting equipment located nearby, the temptation to use it would be undeniable.
Too many fires, exhausted people and thin ranks of firefighters would indicate resources being stretched thin. Add in some idealistic, bureaucratic thinking and political nonsense = control mongering.
.
A self-reliant person is not likely to stand by waiting for the government to rescue their life's work.
It's not all negative.
Check out this photo essay:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-24/canada-worst-wildfire-season-foreign-correspondent/102748250 (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-24/canada-worst-wildfire-season-foreign-correspondent/102748250)
(promise I'll figure out how to make a hyperlink next time)
It's great to see so many wildland firefighters from around the world answering the call to help Canada. Truly a brotherhood and I'm sure it will be reciprocated in time of need.
Thanks for posting that article @Andries (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=9307)
Brent
Andries that story brought back a few memories. Not that I was a smoke jumper, just did a few Rough Terrain Jumps. Put on a suit that makes you look like a Michelin tire man, and bail out the door. It does change your mind set when you realize that you're not going to be landing in a nice cleared drop zone but out in the bushes and trees. I always visualized a tree trying to stab me. Never happened to me or even come close. I have deep respect for those Smoke Jumpers, as they are going into some rough areas with minimal help, if any, when things go bad.
Andries, easy to make hyper link.
Go to the site, highlite it and copy the address.
Then go to the FF post page, it's the 8th one over on the bottom line. When you hover the mouse over it, it reads, Insert Hyberlink, click onto that. In the URL box paste the link, Canada is burning (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-24/canada-worst-wildfire-season-foreign-correspondent/102748250), then in the description box type what it is and press insert.
Thank you cfarm - great tip!
Now I won't be that guy that causes the text on the Forum page to go super small. Hate when it forces me to zoom and scroll so's I can read the itty bitty letters the size of ant poop.
Happy Birthday Ray