Just a heads up.

I am going to be offline few an unknown time starting about 08:00 Friday the 11th.

So no Friday Magazines this week.

Also I will be picking up a new "SatPhone" in the morning. That should be up and running some time Friday. One of my neighbors has a SatPhone, but has been unreachable. My guess is she is kind of busy, and just conserving battery. So in this case. No news is good news.

@Botanic
and others.

"Those crews will get help in the coming days from the Oregon National Guard, which expects to dispatch three teams of 125 soldiers trained in firefighting. They are expected to arrive over the weekend to help with the Holiday Farm Fire burning east of Springfield."

https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/2921/molalla-evacuating-as-two-huge-wildfires-burn-towards-each-other

Fire Update:

I am off to work in an hour or so. Still no communication with my place. But I did talk to the Sheriff's office and It is still free of fire.
Highway 20 in now open so after work I should be able to go home. They are letting residents on 22 at the junction of 20.

My little neighborhood does have a generator to keep the well pump running, and they could choose to run the internet. But wisely are not.

😓
Night 5 of 12, days of work in 14 days.
(already over 78 miles, and one more day this week.)
I am so tired I can't stand.
Everything hurts.
But Good News, the place I am crashing at has A Hot Tub.
I am going to soak.
Will set a timer to wake me, if I fall asleep in the tub.

By all.
💤

R.I.P.
Emma

Fire Update:

Marion County opens sign-ups for volunteers to help wildfire evacuees, plus more ways to help.

https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/2913/marion-county-opens-sign-ups-for-volunteers-to-help-wildfire-evacuees-plus-more-ways-to-help

This is what only 6 hours on a fire line does to you.
Not just the heat, and packing 60lb. Not just the steep hill climbing.
Not just the noise (louder than a 747 at take off). Not the Hyper vigilance. Nor the extreme danger. No... It is the fact that you and your crew are the only thing standing between life & death.

Fuck Forest Fires.

Buy a few beers for these heroes !

Update:

My Neighbors and I are safe.
Yes things are very bad. Many people without homes and livelihoods.

Fuck all that.
I want to share a good news story.

More.
One of the only good things that happen in common crises, nobody gives a fuck if your a Republican or a Democratic. Just get the horse in the trailer, and go. Share what you got. The outright goodness of people totally out weighing politics. I was just talking to a bunch of hard core Rump supporters, and not once did politics come up, they were busy moving livestock. Also a group of women, orthodox Christians from the Ukraine, cooking free hot meals.

On and on....
"We Be The Humans"

Fire update:

I am off work. My place still untouched by fire. All communication is down. Power off. Road still closed.
From what I can tell from scanner, and aerial photos, Lyons, Mill City, Gates, big parts of Detroit Lake, Idanha, and Breitenbush , are pretty much toast.
What is strange... what I am most pissed of about? The best pizza in Oregon, was from Mill City.

Fuckity, fuck,fuck,fuck.

I am safe. My neighbors are safe. And winds have slowed to 14 mph from the NNE.

Fire Update:

I am off to work. My place is still fine. No active fire for about 16 miles north. Folks there are doing great. Road will be closed for several days. I am staying in Salem with friend.
Power will be out at my place for perhaps a week.
Cell service is very bad, if not gone completely.
Internet will die in about 6 hours, as battery's are exhausted.

Looks like Mill City, Oregon, is just about all gone. Will see more in daylight.

Anyone in Central Oregon !

The Salem State Fair Grounds Is now open for animal rescue, No animals turned away, including horses and all livestock. Lot of volunteers on site. Livestock trailers ready to move with Sheriffs escort.

Please if you evacuate, please bring all you animals with you. If you have livestock call the Sheriffs Dept.

More:
Green dot is about where my place is.

3:50 pm Update:

My little neighborhood is now on a "Get Set" evacuation order.
I just spoke with Sheriffs Office, road is closed to all traffic both ways. But they are escorting anyone out that wants to leave. Nearest fire is now about 16 miles north of my place, But east winds have died down a lot. Right now some cell towers are down, but underground cable is still working.

There is a good three ridges, between my place and the nearest fire.
So all my neighbors are riding it out.

Damn it I am tired.
That is supposed to be EAST of Salem...
My place is just about where the Highway (20) turns south....

Update:
I am gonna stay in town. Got a place with a friend, shower and sofa.
Home is as safe as it can be. 3 of my Neighbors are ex forest fire fighters. Know how to put out spot fires. Have good tools. Just not enough well water. But they know what they are doing. I am going to eat and rest now. Will check in latter.

Ok...
Now off work...
But can NOT get home, road closed, in multiple places. So I am stuck in town. Lots of small fires near HY 20 in Oregon west of Salem. Just talked to neighbors, everything is fine at home.

Looks like the fires are on or near the road. Not yet big, and crews working them.