Trail head: Delilah
Lookout
Hike Info:
Type:
Lookout
Description:
 |
| Bovine Guards the Road to Delilah |
I got up at 0600 having woke up off and on for the last
two hours. I am greeted by a hug from Rachel-she came in last night
long after I had gone to bed. She is up, preparing breakfast for her
friends. They leave to go to the Grant Grove area for a Labor Day
weekend time away. About at the same time, we also leave, close to
0720. We had meant to leave a few minutes before to get to the
lookout around 0900. Oh well, we are volunteers and Rachel is family
I hurry to get into the
Delilah lookout to start the day.
The cabin is a bit warm, so I start opening up windows. Also the
whiteboard is checked for any active fires. Nothing really to be
concerned about. Then I turn on the radio-that should have been the
first thing I did.
 |
| Looking north through the tree |
The very first thing I hear is Porterville (PV) calling
out units to respond to the Horse Fire. Where in the world is that?
Is this around Lake Isabella, I am thinking. But then I hear units
around the Hume Lake Ranger District being summoned to respond. So I
know it is in our area. A few minutes later, Buck
Rock gives an azimuth and an
approximate location. It is southwest of Big
Meadow, but before Montecito
Lodge. PV has called out a wide
assortment of fire fighters to respond, including aircraft. This
sounds big!
A few minutes later, Park
Ridge Lookout comes online. They
give another azimuth, so the location can be accurately determined.
Then Engine 32 determines that the size is currently about a tenth of
an acre. So the aircraft start getting called off. Excitement! The
ground crews are having a hard time getting into the Park because of
the long lines and people not moving over. We hear chatter over the
radio all day long concerning this fire. Turns out the campfire was
started by some campers who were camped in an illegal fire. One
wonders what they would have done if they got dumped on by fire
retardant. My imagination is at work here.
We had a small part in the whole drama-the fire itself
took place behind Park Ridge. So we did not see any smoke or the
activity. But we heard a familiar voice calling out to Delilah on R5
Project radio channel. She asked us to do a relay to the Scorpion
group if they needed anything-no. A relay is exactly what it sounds
like. One person gives us the words to say and we contact the group
they are requesting and pass on the information. This is usually done
because in some places there is no direct line of communication. I
did not bungle it too much. We were also asked to contact Buck Rock
about being a human relay for her, which Buck Rock was happy to do.
Sometime that afternoon we heard from Sierra National
Forest (SNF). They were telling a patrol that a Wilderness Corp trail
crew volunteer had a leg injury and needed to come out. They were in
the Dinkey
Lakes area close to Coyote
Lake. About an hour later, we
heard they needed to be air evacuated out by helicopter. I read
later on that this was a group where I knew some of the people. The
person is recovering, but may be awhile in the hospital.
 |
| Last light on McKenzie Ridge |
Back to the Sequoia National Forest. There are many
unattended campfires being reported. Also a disabled vehicle or two.
But an incident which really caught our attention was somebody at a
campsite in Starlite-not sure where this is, but I think it is around
Big Meadow. There is a trailer in a campsite with a couple ATV’s.
The ATV’s had been riding around the camp, but now was back on the
trailer. The ATV’s were unlicensed. When approached by the Forest
Service personnel, the response was that the ATV’s were used on a
farm and as a farm vehicle does not need to be licensed. This was
reported to the the duty officer. His response which made be snicker
was that last time the duty officer looked, Forest Service land is
not agriculture, so the unlicensed ATV’s cannot be used. Sometimes
these folks can have a good way with words.
It is time to stop snickering to the radio traffic. We
actually have visitors-actually two groups about an hour apart. This
is a rarity for Delilah, so we need to pay attention. We even have
three kids who climb the tower. Out comes all of the Smokey the Bear
paraphernalia. Later on a husband and wife team comes along. Only one
comes up to the tower. He wants to know how to get to the Kings
River-sorry, Davis
Road is closed and probably will
not be opened for a couple of years. Too many falling trees. Turns
out a tree falls a few minutes after they leave.
We are on extended hours. So we stay in-service until
2000-we are staying overnight anyway. Makes for a long day. Also
since around 1930, it was too dark really to see much beyond a couple
of miles. We have eaten dinner around 1830 while still looking
around. Now we are ready to get to bed-a long day. I choose to sleep
out on the catwalk-I hope that the stars will be plentiful tonight.
 |
| Sunset light on Verplank Ridge |
Earlier in the day, a couple of things happened. First,
a copy of the book Fire
Season surfaced at Delilah. I
had started to read it over at Park Ridge Lookout last year. So I get
to start reading it now. It is about a fire lookout in the Gila
Wilderness. Pretty good writing. The other thing is when I was going
to the outhouse, a little snake scurried out of my way. I do not
think it was a rattler, still it was quicker than I could do a
positive identification on it, so I was not chasing it down.
Background
Delilah Log for this day
|
time
|
From
|
To
|
Digest of Conversation
|
|
920
|
PV
|
|
Horse Fire call out
|
|
926
|
BC31
|
PV
|
Helicopter status-coming out of Portville
|
|
926
|
BR
|
BC
|
Smoke is Puffy and grey
|
|
927
|
DEL
|
SNF
|
Inservice
|
|
932
|
PV
|
BC31
|
AA15 is coming out of Porterville
|
|
933
|
DEL
|
PV
|
Inservice
|
|
935
|
PR
|
PV
|
Inservice
|
|
935
|
BR
|
Eng 32
|
Fire is near Monticitto Lodge near the winter trail
head-unable to see base
|
|
937
|
Bat 31
|
Eng 31
|
Long line to get into park. People will not move over
for lights
|
|
940
|
PR
|
PV
|
Az to Horse Incident is 110 degrees 25. Pv as for
legal. PR will get and reradio
|
|
942
|
Air 15
|
pv
|
coming up on incident
|
|
944
|
Eng 32
|
pv
|
fire is 400 to 500 feet from end of parking lot
|
|
944
|
PR
|
PV
|
Legal is 14S29# Section 17 Western half of section.
|
|
948
|
E32
|
PV
|
Size up 1/10 of an acre slow spread. T 76 wiill make
one drip and then return to base.
|
|
950
|
Bat 31
|
Eng 32
|
Stand down drop about to occur
|
|
950
|
Bat 31
|
Eng 32
|
start investigation when coming on scene
|
|
952
|
D
|
All
|
Eng 32 assuming IC on Horse fire
|
|
952
|
Eng 32
|
PV
|
Eng 32 assuming IC on Horse fire
|
|
953
|
Eng 32
|
PV
|
cancelling tanker 76 Have them return to base.
|
|
955
|
HorseIC
|
PV
|
cancel all helicopter that are responding to the
Horse Incident
|
|
956
|
Div 6
|
PV
|
On scene at Horse Fire
|
|
956
|
HorseIC
|
pv
|
released from Horse Fire 12 min in route to
Fresno—which heli?
|
|
956
|
HorseIC
|
PV
|
looking for point of orgin
|
|
959
|
Bat 31
|
PV
|
cancel Engine for Horse IC. Engine 31 will return to
Pinhurst to cover that area.
|
|
1000
|
B31
|
Pv
|
Black Eagle 6 to Base
|
|
1004
|
PV
|
HorseIC
|
Be advised that Robert Schmidt to be Trainee for
Horse IC
|
|
1006
|
pv
|
All
|
Robert Schmidt 32 B will be assuming Horse IC along
with B31
|
|
1010
|
Scorpion 5
|
B31
|
in line at entrance. People not moving over even with
lights on
|
|
1022
|
PV
|
All
|
Rx and staffing
|
|
1022
|
Trainee
|
Del
|
Pleaseh do a relay to Scorpion 5—Do you need
anything? Monitor R5
|
|
1023
|
DEL
|
Scorpion 5
|
on R5 project. Do you need anything to be pick up by
trainee and please monitor R5. Response copy that
|
|
1025
|
Trainee
|
DEL
|
Call Buck Rock on the phone to all if trainee can
they be a repeater.
|
|
1026
|
DEL
|
BR
|
needs a human repeater
|
|
1030
|
Bat 31
|
PV
|
Pat 32 will be tied up In Horse Meadow with
investagation.
|
|
1031
|
del
|
br
|
Were you able to get a hold of Nora?
|
|
1034
|
Del
|
Trainee IC
|
R5 Project no response
|
|
1036
|
Trainee IC
|
BR
|
On R5 project
|
|
1038
|
Engine74
|
PV
|
Releasing Park 43 Also Lat Long of Horse fire is 36
42.100’, 118 52.191’
|
|
1043
|
339
|
PV
|
Change of location to Eshom
|
|
1049
|
BR
|
|
|
|
1050
|
TraineeIC
|
BR
|
Answer is broken. Horse hose laying around Winter
Weather Trail Head
|
|
1051
|
HorseIC
|
PV
|
Continuing with mop up
|
|
1052
|
PV
|
HorseIC
|
Scorpion 5 on scene, be advised
|
|
1053
|
339
|
BR
|
Has Scorpian 5 made it to the Horse Incident? Yes
|
|
1100
|
SNF
|
|
Lookout checkin
|
|
1115
|
Trainee
|
PV
|
On scene at Horse Fire
|
|
1120
|
Kathy
|
Del
|
Talked about WiFi-no reason why it was unplugged. So
plugged it in. Worked.
|
|
1133
|
332
|
PV
|
Disabled vehicle on way to Big Meadow
|
|
1133
|
Black Eagle 6
|
PV
|
At Pinehurst
|
|
1156
|
332
|
PV
|
Vehicle Cleared from the road around Big Meadows,
Incident Number 2313(?)
|
|
1200
|
P33
|
PV
|
Released from Horse Fire
|
|
1215
|
E32
|
PV
|
Back to Lakeshore for training
|
|
1215
|
Training IC
|
BR
|
On R5, back in District
|
|
1227
|
Training IC
|
B31
|
Line is all the way down to Sequoia Lake, so
Redwood(?) Forest will be the best access to get in.
|
|
1235
|
p31
|
PV
|
released from Horse Fire. New location will be
Whitiker Forest
|
|
1318
|
PV
|
all
|
H523 available in Poterville
|
|
1412
|
Div 6
|
PV
|
Released from Horse Fire, show in the Hume Lake area
|
|
1414
|
BC31
|
PV
|
Going to Hume Lake. Also advised that PV is being
received with low volume
|
|
1414
|
Div 6
|
???
|
Meet up around Hume Lake
|
|
1415
|
Div 3
|
PV
|
Back in quarters
|
|
1417
|
???
|
???
|
Earlier today there was a question about unliscened
farm equipment on a trail near Starlight campground. It was his
understanding that farm equipment is not allowed on Forest land.
Forest Service land is not agricultural
|
|
1418
|
B31
|
???
|
Campers are trailering the Polarias vehicles and will
not use them. As long as they are not using them, they can be on
the trailer. But if they are off, they can be cited. There were
reports of them going up and down the road around the campground.
|
|
1421
|
B31
|
BR
|
On R5 Project, thanking Buck Rock for spotting and
helping with the fire. BR went into service at 0800.
|
|
1535
|
335
|
PV
|
Liscence information for a incident.
|
|
1540
|
PV
|
|
T76 committed to a LPF fire
|
|
1542
|
PV
|
|
H523 is committed to ___. Transmission was broken.
|
|
1603
|
PV
|
|
Weather and Indexes
|
|
1621
|
336
|
332
|
Still at Big Meadow? Yes. There is a side by side
which needs to checked on on the Big Meadow Campground
|
|
1629
|
SNF
|
Del
|
Lookout checkin and weather
|
|
1659
|
339
|
PV
|
Change of location to ___
|
|
1716
|
332
|
PV
|
Show him at Starlight
|
|
1728
|
Trainee
|
PV
|
Gomez in quarters
|
|
1735
|
332
|
PV
|
Clear
|
|
1740
|
Trainee
|
PV
|
Gomez and Scorpion 5 released from Horse Fire. Fire
is in patrol status
|
|
1740
|
B31
|
PV
|
Copied
|
|
1755
|
E37
|
PV
|
Going t0 Hume Lake to drop off water
|
|
1756
|
332
|
PV
|
Returning District
|
|
1757
|
BC31
|
PV
|
Change of location to ___
|
|
1758
|
BC31
|
PV
|
Change of location to ___
|
|
1800
|
PR
|
PV
|
Out of Service
|
|
1806
|
332
|
336
|
Asking for current location
|
|
1813
|
BR
|
PV
|
Out of tower for 30 minutes
|
|
1823
|
13E1
|
332//39
|
Still in District? No All Rec units in route to “Deo”
|
|
1823
|
Div 6
|
11E1
|
No Response
|
|
1829
|
339
|
PV
|
Out of Service
|
|
1829
|
3311
|
PV
|
Out of Service
|
|
1831
|
336
|
PV
|
Out of Service
|
|
1831
|
332
|
PV
|
Out of Service
|
|
1838
|
BR
|
PV
|
In the tower
|
|
1838
|
|
|
White truck with driver and at least two passengers
drove around lookout and asked if it was open.
|
|
1858
|
SNF
|
|
Lookout signout-Buck Rock and Delilah are on extended
hours until 2000
|
|
1896
|
Scorpion 4
|
PV
|
Back in quarters
|
|
1927
|
BR
|
BC31
|
BR would like to phone BC31. Said he was leaving the
tower for the night.
|
|
1942
|
Div 6
|
PV
|
Back in quarters
|
|
1931
|
BR
|
PV
|
Out of Service
|
|
1931
|
BR
|
SNF
|
Out of Service
|
|
2000
|
Del
|
PV
|
Out of Service
|
|
2000
|
Del
|
SNF
|
Out of Service
|
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