Gary-Summer: October 11, 2019

Friday, October 11, 2019

October 11, 2019 - Delilah Lookout

Title: October 11, 2019 - Delilah Lookout
Hike Info : Description: Menu : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Trail head: Delilah Lookout

Hike Info:

Type:Lookout

Description:

Fire Retardant

Happy Birthday Sherri! We definitely will not, or maybe we will already be out for Sherri’s birthday dinner. We will go out to breakfast at the Train Depott. The price is that we will need to get up a bit earlier. I take a shower as I probably will not have one for the next two or three days. Breakfast is good,

Sherri and I left Fresno about 0715. After stopping at Starbucks for her birthday coffee, it was on to Delilah. We made pretty good time. We turned at Millwood Road/Davis Road and started the second half of our trip. When the pavement ran out, there was some barricades saying that the road was closed due to a wildfire. Do we go on? Last night the Delilah Webcam did not show any smoke. So we started phoning up folks and eventually got hold of BC32. He said we are authorized to go in. Feeling pretty privileged. Then we met Engine 31 at the burn site. It was a bit different place than I thought. Right next to the road, but on the other side of the ridge from Delilah, just barely. We talked with the RidgeIC and got the scoop that they would be here today and tomorrow. Later on we heard on the radio that the Ridge Fire was 3 acres. The Horseshoe Hotshots are also there.

Delilah Lookout

Got to Delilah at 0900. Just in time to get the keys, go up the stairs and take the weather. It says that our relative humidity is 15%-that is getting low. So when we go in-service, we also say that we have low RH. That pretty much gets to be the excitement for the day.

Sometimes the Ridge Fire is spoken of on the radio, but more in terms of status and size and who will be where. Later on in the day, there is a status which says that it is showing No Heat, No Smoke and they want to change the status into patrol. This means that a patrol will come by and check on it. Also we take an extra look at the area. But we also do not see any smoke either.

We do talk with Kathy and get some more background on the Ridge Fire. Also just some general idea of what has changed. Always good to talk with her. She has a way of being supportive, calming, and giving direction without being overbearing.

Mid-morning there is a fire which Sierra is responding to called the Acorn Fire. From the location report, we think we might be able to see it-close to Auberry. It turns out it is on CalFire land. We look and report we do not have a visual on it, even with Celeste we cannot see it. That is the extent of our excitement there.

Gary ready for dinner

At 1800, we go out of service, with the other lookouts. Sherri has fixed a meal of gnocchi, bread and lettuce. The things I have her do on her birthday. By the time we finish eating, it is getting close to being dark. So we make a quick trip down the stairs and then return to bed down. A good and tiring day, even without excitement.

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Train Depot restaurant	Sandwich: Peanut Butter, Nutella	gnocchi, bread, lettuce, and water	string cheese and salted almonds